Never Let Me Go
by slavedriver2008
Summary: She was like ice, aloof and frigid. He was like a rose, beautiful but deadly. To be close to him, she has to peel through the layers and risk getting hurt. To set her free, he has to break her and risk losing her for good. Unusual pairing with Cross-over
1. Prologue

_Yeah, I know. I already put up too many stories and I shouldn't be adding another one too soon. But I realized that there's a bigger chance of me updating this fic if I already put it up (like what I did in **Falling White Threads**). I thought of this pairing because I read a fic about this guy and I said, hey he's the exact type Yui would fall for: good-looking, smart, intellectual, kind, and soft-spoken. And he's had a quite interesting past too. Ahahahaha! (A part of me still thinks that the guy I used in FWT is still the perfect match for her but its good to explore once in awhile.)_

**_Disclaimer:_**_It's been a long time since I put up a new story and I'm excited as hell for this. FY and YuYu Hakusho are not mine, by the way._

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**Prologue**

By Slavedriver2008

* * *

Yui woke up with a smile. Today was the big day, the one she had waited for more than three months. It was a normal Saturday but for junior high students, today would direct the course of their lives for the next three years. She did her morning ritual and after taking a toast for breakfast, Yui stepped out of the chilly autumn air and breathed in. Excitement crept through her system. Everything should be perfect today.

"_Ohayou gozaimasu_, Yui-_chan_!" Miaka greeted her and she smiled. They have been closer after what happened in the book and Yui was glad she never blamed her for anything. The incidents were vague in her memories now. But Miaka remembered everything perfectly well. Especially Tamahome.

"_Ohayou gozaimasu_, Miaka-_chan_!" They walked side by side toward the bulletin board of the local education office. "I feel something good will happen today."

The results of the entrance exams were to be released. Instead of them going around the different public schools and checking their names, the ministry of education decided to post the names of the passers in the office building of each district. That way, they will save paper and postage fees. Yui briefly wondered why they didn't use the email instead. But then, printing out names was better than sending emails to thousands, probably millions of junior high seniors. It adds to the thrill, Tetsuya told her when she drove her home last night. Too bad they couldn't go out today. With the crowd gathered around the area, it might take all afternoon before she and Miaka can check their names in the list.

"I'm scared, Yui. What if I didn't pass?" Miaka told her softly. Yui wrapped an arm around her bestfriend and squeezed the brunette.

"Don't worry! We studied really hard so I don't think you'll fail all the exams," she beamed and Miaka nodded hesitantly. "Should we check Jounan first?"

They walked together toward the board where Jounan posted the list of passers. Jounan High was the most prestigious public school high school in Tokyo. They only admit a certain number of students every year. It was one of the most coveted spots and almost all junior high seniors take the exams in Jounan. Of course it's not just the name, studying in Jounan was as good as passing in Tokyo University or Kyoto University or some of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the country. Jounan could be Yui's passport to a good college education without having to spend much. Jounan graduates were always given scholarships by the state—and those scholarships give lots of allowances and benefits.

The crowd was intimidating. Students were struggling to check their names. Some openly cheered while some cried from a distance. There were some who moved along, checking their names in the other schools' list. Jounan exams were the hardest, it's normal that not everyone passed. The body heat was unbearable in the big crowd around the board. Bodies collided with each other and Yui was standing on her toes to see the results. Eager, Miaka pushed forward and she trailed behind, holding on to her shoulders so as not to lose the smaller girl in the throng of students.

"Ugh! This is worse than attending a rock concert!" she told Miaka but her friend didn't hear it. Someone chuckled beside her and she looked up to see a beautiful pair of green eyes. The boy had short red hair and he was a head taller. He was handsome… no, beautiful. And they were literally bumping into each other. AND he was looking back with a smile on his lips. She blinked, trying to make sure she was not dreaming or the light was not creating illusions. The boy laughed slightly at her reaction and she blushed more. He raised a hand for her but before he could speak, Miaka screamed.

"AAAAAAHHHH!" Yui turned her attention toward her bestfriend. Most of the students looked at her as if something bad happened. Oh, most of the crowd were boys, Jounan was predominantly populated by men.

"Miaka—" Miaka turned with a huge smile on her face.

"YOU MADE IT YUI! YOU SHOULD TREAT ME AFTER THIS!" Miaka jumped and embraced her, slightly pushing her back.

"How did you know? You're just using this to get a free chocolate cake," her eyebrows creased and Miaka slapped her in the head. "Ow!" The beautiful boy beside her laughed slightly and she could feel her face burn.

"Aren't you listening, you baka!? YOU PASSED JOUNAN! AND YOU'RE THE TOPNOTCHER, YUI HONGOU!" Miaka screamed and some of the students around them gasped. Yui looked ahead and tried to make out the writings on the paper:

**Jounan High School**

**AY 2009-2010**

**Top 10**

1. HONGOU, Yui (99.52)

2. MINAMINO, Shuichi (99.50)

3. KOZUI, Noburo (95.82)

4. WATANABE, Kasaru (94.03)

5. OKADA, Naruto (93.36)

6. KANO, Shinji (93.12)

7. KASAHARA, Hiro (92.02)

8. YAMAMOTO, Toji (92.00)

9. WATAYA, Kaede (91.35)

10. HONDA, Kanako (91.12)

The blonde girl gasped and the world stopped moving as the reality sank in her system a little too slowly. She blinked to check the list again. It was still there, her name. Miaka clung on her neck, jumping for joy. She passed Jounan. And she's the topnotcher. AND she was the only girl in the list. She smiled, still with disbelief. Today was definitely a wonderful wonderful wonderful day. The crowd broke into a small applause and she blushed again. She suddenly became ashamed of the attention. She ran her fingers in her hair to release the tension. It had grown longer now, reaching her shoulders.

"_Arigatou gozaimasu_," she bowed quickly to everyone. Yui accidentally met eyes with the red-haired boy and he smiled at her.

"Congratulations," he whispered and Yui nodded softly, blushing more under his gaze.

"_Arigatou gozaimasu_…" she made the last phrase hang, intending him to mention his name. He was about to speak when Miaka pulled her harshly.

"Now, let's look for my name!" Miaka bolted off, the crowd parting a bit for them. Yui looked back and smiled at him. He waved and Yui flushed harder. Too bad she didn't get his name.

The two girls reached the other posted papers and hurriedly looked for Miaka's name. After a good deal of 10 minutes, they still hadn't found it. Some students were annoyingly grunting behind them and Yui frowned.

"Oh no…It's not here," Miaka's voice broke and Yui knew she was close to crying. Yui ran her eyes along the paper over and over again, scrutinizing every letter in case she too missed Miaka's name. But it was not there. As much as she doesn't want to admit it, Miaka failed Jounan. She sighed. Miaka was sadder than sad. "I failed Jounan..."

"So what? I don't want to go to Jounan anyway," Yui said too loudly, the students around them rolling their eyes. Miaka looked up, tears building in her eyes.

"But you want to be in Jounan, Yui."

"Well, I don't want it anymore. Come on, let's check Yotsubadai," she smiled but her heart sank. She shook her head and let the sadness pass. It was better this way.

The crowd was less in Yotsubadai so the two girls found it easier to reach the bulletin board. Again, she topped the test. She found it weird, though that the same name was in the second slot and the differences between their grades were a mere 0.2 points. She briefly wondered who Minamino Shuuichi was. The face of the boy she bumped into earlier briefly appeared in her thoughts and she blushed. No, she shouldn't be thinking of him, she already had Tetsuya. But still…

"Why are you smiling, Yui?" Miaka asked curiously and she shook her head.

"Nothing. Found your name?" Miaka nodded like a mad man and Yui smiled her widest.

"Great! We're going to Yotsubadai then. Let's go home. This day is stressing me out," she said and they both walked toward the gates.

"Let's eat first!" Miaka screamed and she nodded. Yeah, something sweet sounded nice, especially today. She only took exams in two schools so there was no use staying. Miaka took exams in most schools but all she really wanted was to know if she passed either Jounan or Yotsubadai.

"I wonder where he'll study…" she whispered and Miaka looked at her.

"What?" she asked. "Who's studying where?"

Yui laughed. "I said, I wonder if Naoko and Ayumi will also be in Yotsubadai."

"Hah, of course they'll study in Yotsubadai. It's going to be fun seeing the same faces!" Miaka said out loudly. "I can't wait for high school!"

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**_Author's Notes:_**_Thanks for reading! Please leave reviews! I would greatly appreciate it. I was told that it was Miaka who passed Jounan in the manga. I haven't really noticed, though. Anyway, she didn't pass Jounan here but they're both planning to go to Yotsubadai. :)_


	2. Chapter One

_The weird thing about me is that I often think of a pairing first before creating the plot. Most writers would think of a plot first and then choose the characters perfect for it. This story is so hard to do because I don't have a plot at all, unlike my other stories. This one's floating in serendipity, at least for now._

_**Michi:**__Thanks for the review! :D I was just about to put another chapter when I read your review! Thank you soooo much! I haven't seen Special A (I think my sister watches/reads this) but it sounds like a good anime. Will try if I can grab a copy and let's see. As I said, I don't have specific ideas for this fic. Was thinking of something high schooly but I dunno, might put in some other stuff as I move along. Thanks for reading!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Everything takes place after the FY OAV and YYH series. :) FY and YuYu Hakusho are not mine._

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**Chapter One**

By Slavedriver2008

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Yotsubadai never happened, and so was Jounan. All the planning she and Miaka did that fateful day over a slice of chocolate cake, slices in the brunette's case, were shelved the moment she went home and delivered the good news to her parents. It was one of those nights Yui's parents were home after constant trips around the world. And the mood was not at all pleasant since her parents have been arguing almost every night lately. The family business was falling and key investments were at risk of withdrawing.

It was partly her fault why the mood got shadier. She lied about Jounan but told them about Yotsubadai, hoping against hope they'll let her study with Miaka. After all, with the current financial constraint, her studying in a public school was the best option at the moment. There was a moment of complete silence when she broke the news.

"How can you fail Jounan and top Yotsubadai?" Mom asked, her voice tight.

"That's what the results said, Mama. Yotsubadai isn't so bad," she reasoned out, playing with the remaining peas on her plate.

"How can it not be bad? It's only third in Japan. You should have studied harder." The older woman, who was the exact replica of her: dusty blonde hair and blue eyes, put down her fork and stared at her. "Very well, you're going to Meiou then."

Yui looked up, surprised. "Meiou? But—"

"The mail arrived earlier, you topped the exams. They're giving you a full scholarship and benefits that are probably better than ones in Jounan," she explained without batting an eyelash and Yui looked back in horror.

"But Mama, Miaka—"

"Is this all about Miaka, Yui? Did you intentionally fail Jounan because Miaka did not pass?" she said sharply. "I always knew that girl would bring you trouble." She sighed and in that exact moment, Yui realized she looked tired. "Your father and I talked about it, you're going to Meirou. We're selling this place anyway. We'll move to a smaller house after you finish junior high."

Yui sat there shock. "Is business that bad? You never told me…"

"You didn't need to know, sweetie," her father spoke, he looked just as tired as her mother. Yui pitied them, they were doing their best to not let business problems affect her lifestyle.

"If I study in Meiou, I have to spend more. Yotsubadai—"

"No, Yui, you're going to Meiou and you're going to graduate in that school even if we have to sell all our properties in Japan." Mom was looking at her with a sad look in her eyes. "Don't disappoint us, high school can open lots of opportunities for you, Yui."

She nodded, there was no use arguing. Yui felt hurt she was not informed of the status of the business. For them to sell this house meant finances were very bad. Sadness filled her when she realized she was leaving her old life behind. Moving to the other side of Tokyo was as good as moving to another prefecture. She doesn't want to move out but she doesn't want to disappoint her family either. Too bad, she was seriously expecting minor changes in her high school life. Looks like life was not as easy as she initially thought.

Miaka cried when she told him about Meiou and the reason why they're moving to another district. It would mean they would not see each other as often as they want to. They would have different separate lives. Yui didn't tell her about the shaky family business and that they're selling the big house. But they'll get used to it, their friendship always survived the toughest challenges. Shin Jin Ten Chi Sho, for instance, was the biggest challenge they ever had. Besides, she already has Taka, a man they met over the last months. The two have been dating and Yui knew Taka would take care of her bestfriend.

Graduation came too soon and they parted that spring with heavy hearts. "You'll come for a visit, huh Yui?" Miaka told her and she nodded.

"_Hai_. Visit me when you have the time too."

The air was cold and Yui was walking along the streets of Shinjuku district. Winter had ended and spring had just begun, but the air was still freezing. It was exactly three years since the family transferred houses. She pulled her brown overcoat tighter. It was useless, though, floral dark silk green dress and white pumps were not the best clothes during the changing of the seasons. She sighed and tried to remember what transpired during dinner.

"What do you intend to study in college, Yui?" her father asked and she looked up from her plate.

"I'm taking up medicine, father. I want to be a pediatrician." Her father laughed.

"Pediatrician? Why don't you be a cardiologist like me? Or an orthopedic like your mother?"

"That's still subject to change Papa, I'm still weighing my options." Her father laughed again but Yui noticed the frown on her mother's face.

"You should know what you want as early as now, sweetie," she said. "And you have to focus on your studies. You slid down to number two last year. You should graduate first in class. We cannot afford the full tuition in the current state of things."

Yui tried to smile. "I'm trying my best, Mama."

"Well, try harder. I always knew that boy could only distract you from your studies." Her father touched her mother's arms and she focused her attention on the food. They looked older now, they no longer were the picture perfect couple. Time passed too harshly for them.

"Whatever happens Yui, we're proud of you."

Whatever my butt, she thought. Her mother would throw a fit if she didn't graduate first in class. She sighed again, white wisps of smoke formed in her mouth. She should hurry home now. Her parents were scheduled to leave for London tonight and they had an early dinner with her near the airport. The Japan pharmaceutical business had fallen but her parents were trying to resurrect the company. They were to sign a deal with a London-based company and it was a big achievement if it pushed through.

Yui briefly remembered those troubling years. They had to move houses again. This time they ended up in a smaller apartment. The space never bothered her, she always hated big houses considering there were only three of them under one roof. Besides, her parents were always in another country so the place, though small for her mother's standards, was perfect for her.

Meiou never suited her well. The teachers were really good, it was the students she could not stand. In Meiou, money was everything for the students. It dictated your social standing, the number of friends you have, the popularity rating. In the outside, people looked up to the Meiou students, but in the inside, it was a school full of rich brats. There were parties during weekends and if you're not invited, woe to you. Yui was never the party girl so not getting an invitation never bothered her. But her being a social outcast soon became the talk of the town.

"There's the Hongou girl, I wonder why she's still here. I heard she's as poor as a rat, with the family business closing down." She would constantly hear the murmurs in the library. But it never bothered her. There were more important things than high school. When she was in first year, the students made fun of her, although she ranked first in the entrance exams. It was not because of the way she dressed, her uniform and things were always new and above standard. (Her mother would not simply approve of her dressing in rags.)

It was because the fall of business created quite a stir in the Japanese medicine industry. A collapse of a big business always made it to the headlines. Court cases needed to be attended and sometimes there were photos of the family in the front pages of the newspaper. Reporters pried on their personal spaces. One time, a newspaper decided to take it further and reported on her lifestyle—her expenses at Meiou, her little apartment, her shopping choices, everything. Her father was outraged, she was a minor then, barely sixteen. The reporters retaliated afterwards but the rumors in school did not. She became some sort of local celebrity—in a bad way, and she hated it.

A shiver ran through her spine and she caught her reflection in one of the shop's windows. She had dressed nicely for dinner and she was in her best behavior. She seldom shopped but she did so because she wanted them to see how grown up she was now. Besides, she seldom had dinner with her parents, too bad they didn't notice the effort she had to put up just to dress decently. She even went shopping and had a trip to the salon the day before. Expectation was a bitch.

Yui adjusted her wide white headband. At least her hairstylist got the length right. Her hair was cut to mimic Kate Moss's peroxide blonde haircut. Good thing she was a natural blonde or her stylist might have urged her to have it dyed.

"At least you look good tonight, Yui," she told her reflection and after smiling at herself, walked away.

Her mother stroke a nerve when she mentioned Tetsuya. She always referred to him as 'that boy' maybe because she never liked him much. Tetsuya always wear black shades even at night and her Mom hated those about him. He drives a cranky black car and he led a carefree life. Those were the things that endeared him to her but then again, those were the reasons why they broke up. Too bad they're not together now, Yui thought. He would have gladly taken her home if they were still together.

They broke up a few months ago because of 'creative differences.' It was the reason she told Miaka and Taka but the truth was, he caught him cheating on her. Two years of relationship going to smoke because of one pathetic mistake. But it was a mistake that hurt her so much.

Tetsuya lied to her, Nakago lied to her. The men in her life always lied to her. She was too heartbroken to study and her grades suffered. Yes, she had to agree, 'that boy' was the reason why she slid to number two in class. And this year, she intended to get the first slot. Sliding to number two was additional woes, it meant she had to pay for all her expenses this year. To augment for the expenses, she had to sell her books and work after school. She was working two jobs, one at the coffee shop every night and one at the book store every weekend. That way she never had to depend on her parents for allowances.

She sighed again and was about to cross the road when she heard a boy crying in a distance. Yui looked around and found a little boy, probably of seven years old, sitting alone in the dark part of the park. Was he lost? She asked herself but shook her head when she realized a policeman will probably find him and take him home. She crossed the road, still hearing the cries of the boy in the cold night.

The wind blew and she clutched her jacket tighter. She needed to go home early, tomorrow was the first day of classes. The boy's figure appeared in her thoughts. He would go to school tomorrow too and it would be bad if he caught a cold. _If he could go home._ Annoyed at herself for being uncaring, Yui turned back and crossed the road again, heading toward the brown-haired boy. Yui hesitantly sat beside him and the boy looked up, his green eyes filled with tears. He was such a cute little boy.

"Hey, what's wrong?" The boy wiped his tears and looked at her intently.

"Can I trust you?" Yui laughed heartily and nodded.

"Of course. Why are you crying?" With a wail, the boy embraced her and Yui held him just as tight, rubbing his back.

"Oh my, you're cold." She immediately pulled off her jacket and had him wear it. "This should keep you warm." The boy cried again and she brushed her fingers in his short brown hair. This was just like having a younger brother. "Are you lost?"

"Yes, _onee-chan_," the boy whispered in between tears. Yui's back prickled. Onee-chan. Older sister. "I don't know how to go home."

"Where do you live? Should I take you home?" The boy looked up to her, nodding slightly. She pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his tears. "Stop crying now and let's go home." The boy smiled and she blushed, smiling back. He was such a cute boy she'd gladly adopt him to be her own brother. They walked hand in hand toward the building the boy told him. The boy had stopped crying now and she was freezing.

"I'm thirsty, _nee-chan_," the boy said and Yui looked around for a vendo machine. She found one and they walked toward it.

"What do you want?" She smiled and the boy blushed. He pointed toward a green can.

"Winter melon." Yui took out her coin purse and after inserting the coins, the can rolled out of the machine. The boy laughed as he took it out and struggled to open it.

"How old are you?" Yui took the can and opened it for him. "And what's your name?"

"Five." He motioned with his fingers. Yui raised an eyebrow. He was quite tall for a five-year-old boy. "_Watashi no namae wa_ Kazuyu Kokoda _desu, onee-chan_." He said as if he memorized the line and then took a gulp of the drink.

Yui laughed and bowed to him. "It's nice to meet you Kazuyu-kun. _Watashi no namae wa_ Hongou Yui _desu_." She answered back and the boy smiled at her.

"Can I call you _nee-chan_? I don't have an _onee-chan_…" She nodded and the boy smiled. "Great! Let's go home. _Onii-chan_ and _otou-san_ and_ okaa-san_ might be very worried."

"_Hai_!" They walked hand in hand toward the building. The Nagisa building was the most expensive in town. Only rich families live there. Yui was a little reluctant to go there. It was the home of most of her classmates and if the bitchy girls in class saw her there with a boy, they would tease her to no end. Meiou Private High was not only expensive, it was the most prestigious private high school in Tokyo and it has the same standing as Jounan. It was not surprising that when she lied about passing Jounan, the immediate impulse of her parents was to send her to Meiou. It was a logical choice.

"What floor do you live?" she asked and the boy looked confused.

"I'm not sure. But it's on top. I see the lights of Tokyo from there." Yui smiled but sighed at the same time. This might take awhile. She took the boy toward the reception desk.

"Good evening, I would like to ask where Kazuyu residence is," the receptionist raised an eyebrow.

"It's at the penthouse but you're not allowed there. Only invited guests can come in." Yui frowned. Great, just great.

"I'm with Kazuyu Kokoda. I'm here to take him home," she told the receptionist and the lady looked down on the boy.

"_Onee-chan_, what's wrong?" Yui shook her head and the receptionist dialed the number.

"_Hai_, sir. Your brother is here with an _one-chan_," The receptionist smirked at the mention of the last word and Yui pouted at her. "_Hai, hai. Arigatou gozaimasu_, sir." The receptionist said, blushing over the phone. She sighed as she placed the receiver back on the cradle. "You can go now. Take elevator number 6, it's the only one that goes directly to the penthouse," the receptionist told Yui harshly, raising an eyebrow. Yui blinked at her and turned around. She was the rudest receptionist she had ever talked to. She walked with the boy toward the designated elevator and the security smiled at them. At least he was nice.

"Good evening young master. How was your orientation? _Shuuichi-sama_ kept on calling if you've arrived. Step in, please, they are very worried." The boy nodded and Yui let go of him.

"You can go home now, I should go home too." Yui said and the boy embraced her leg tightly.

"No! Take me upstairs _nee-chan_! Please!" The boy screamed and some of the people looked at them.

"Okay, let's go now!" She pulled the boy toward the elevator and he let her go when the door closed.

"Hey, isn't that Hongou?" she overheard one of the watchers and she wanted to bang her head on the wall for being seen and recognized. Oh no, she will probably be teased again tomorrow. What a good way to start the school-year. The boy was laughing slightly as they waited for the elevator to reach the penthouse. This boy must be rich, she thought, owning the penthouse of Nagisa was like owning a an imperial mansion. Okay, she was exaggerating, but the amount comes close.

"_Onii-chan_ would be glad to meet you." The boy held into her hand and she smiled warily. She walked near the door of the elevator as it reached the stop. The door opened slowly and a hand clutched the door and pushed it open. Yui gasped when she met the most beautiful pair of emerald eyes she had ever seen.

"Kokoda, how—" the man stopped speaking and stared into her wide blue eyes. The world stopped moving as they gazed into each other, faces inches away. Yui's brow creased. The face looked familiar. She had seen it before. "Yui…I mean, Hongou," he breathed out and Yui blinked at him, repeatedly.

"Minamino?" she asked hesitantly, face blushing at the way he said his name. Yui, he called her Yui. They were never close in class, just a few hi's and hello's. Well, she was never close to anyone, anyway. The man smiled at her and she thought she would faint, her heart hammered hard. Wait, he was her classmate. She's not supposed to feel this way for him!

"What brought you here?" he asked, leaning closer, making her breath caught in her throat. She never thought Minamino Shuuichi was this good-looking especially up close. In all the years she was in Meiou, she never found him attractive—until now.

"_Onii-chan_!" the connection broke and they both turned toward the little boy.

"Kokoda!" Minamino pulled the little boy and embraced him tightly. "Why did you run off like that?! I looked everywhere!" his voice broke and Yui stood there, watching them with disbelief. She didn't know the school heartthrob had such a soft spot for a little brother. But then, she never knew what he was like.

"_Nee-chan_ found me! I told you I can find you a girlfriend _nii-chan_!" Kokoda said and Yui's widened. What? The boy laughed sheepishly and Minamino just smiled at him. "Will Yui-chan be your girlfriend now?" Yui froze and Minamino looked up to her.

"I should go now. I'll see you again Kokoda-kun." The boy made a face and she went back to the elevator, pressing the ground floor. The door was about to close when the redhead bishounen stopped it again with his hands.

"I'll take you home, Houngou-san. Kokoda, tell mama I went out for a while." He went in and the door closed, leaving the two of them alone in the elevator.

"You don't have to, Minamino-san. I can go home on my own." The man blinked at her and it was then that she realized he was a head taller and that his presence made the air of the elevator uneasy—in a good way. There was something about him she could not point out. It was as if he was…magical.

"You took my brother home, I want to return the favor," he said casually and she said nothing. It seemed that there was no use arguing with him. She never actually talked to him before, they were never group mates or lab partners. Besides, he was the one who beat her last year in the rankings. The two of them were always battling head on since she started in Meiou. But the weird thing was, they only knew each other by name. The only things she knew of him was what she found out tonight, like he had a little brother and he lived in the most expensive floor of the most expensive building in the commercial/residential district.

"It's late, I won't be able to sleep if something bad happens to you on the way home," he explained after the long silence. Yui could not help but blush. She was about to answer him when he took her hand and pulled her out of the elevator toward the parking area. "I hope you don't mind riding my bicycle."

"Bicycle?" Yui looked at him nervously. He took out his bicycle and Yui blinked at him. He was making her ride _that_? He rode it and looked at the girl. Minamino laughed at her reaction. It was the first time she heard him laugh and it occurred to her how everything she noticed about him was always the first time. It was definitely a night of many firsts.

"You've never ridden a bicycle before?" Yui shook her head, making him laugh more. The redness of her cheek was more pronounced now. He pulled her hand. "Sit here and don't worry, I'm good at this." Yui hesitantly sat on the body of the bike and tucked her skirt between her legs. The bicycle went a little off balance and she ended up clutching his shirt.

"I don't think I can do this. Really, you don't have to take me home," she stuttered and he laughed. The bishounen stirred the bicycle out of the parking area and started paddling. Yui trembled and embraced him tightly. "STOP!" The bicycle wobbled at first but he was able to balance it. Yui was trembling and she didn't care if her arms were wrapped mercilessly around him.

"Just hold on, but not too tight, I can't breathe," he whispered and Yui blushed, loosening her hold of him. But she lost balance and ended up embracing him tight again, face on his chest. The bicycle wobbled and wobbled on the streets and he laughed as they made their way toward her house. "Which way?"

Yui looked at the road, unmoving, and gave him directions. She was freezing and she held to him more, the smell of rose and musk and vanilla filled her senses. He smelled like a garden at midnight and it was the exact same smell she wanted her garden to be like. She trembled slightly from the cold and he crouched for her, it was not a good thing to forget her jacket with his brother. Maybe she should just get it back tomorrow or when she had the chance.

The air made her sleepy and she yawned in his chest, hand covering her mouth. He was quite a good cyclist but it was quite uncomfortable hanging on to him like a tentacular squid. She briefly wondered what kind of impression she'd leave him but that aside, she was sleepy as hell. Yui was almost close almost dozing off when the bicycle stopped and she looked up to see his smiling face. She blinked a couple of times. They have stopped moving completely.

"We're home," he said and her immediate reaction was to jump out of the bicycle, which she did just as quickly. She straightened her dress and smiled at him.

"Thanks for the ride," she managed to say out. Yui brushed fingers through her hair, afraid she looked hideous before him. Minamino looked at her and smiled softly.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Yui…Good night." She smiled at him one last time and turned to open the gates of the cold dark house where she lived. She was at the doorway when he waved and left, paddling his bicycle in the night.

* * *

_**A/N:**__Yeah, Shuuichi Minamino is Kurama from Yu Yu Hakusho. He was one of the crushes I had years years back and I like him better than the other characters, though sometimes I think he was the weakest of the four. Too bad there isn't much focus on his life story except that he's a youko. Thanks for reading and please leave reviews!_


	3. Chapter Two

**_Disclaimer:_**_FY and YYH are not mine. Just trying these two out._

* * *

**Chapter Two**

By Slavedriver2008

* * *

Yui hated Meiou's spring-summer uniform. The skirts were too short for her standards and some of the students intentionally make theirs shorter. She arranged her black tie and looked at herself in the mirror. Her skirt was a little too short this year, she never thought she'd need a new one. Meiou's uniform was one of the trendiest in Tokyo. The shirt was short butterfly sleeves with a little pocket where the school logo was meticulously stitched. The skirts were jet black and so was the tie. Now, the students were given the leeway to choose what kind of jacket or overcoat to wear, as long as it's bloody red. Because it's summer, Yui chose a thin drape jacket made of cotton. The jackets tend to be more creative during the summers as there are more options available.

During the autumn-winter, the shirts were long sleeved and the skirts were lengthier. Yui preferred the winter uniform as it doesn't have to show her legs much. It's a good thing that this was the last season she'd wear the summer uniform. She dabbed some powder on her face and put a dainty pink headband, her favorite accessory at the moment.

Yui sighed and went out of the house with a toast in hand. She never had time to make herself a decent meal because of her night work and because of the assignments she had to submit the following morning. She always walk to school, partly because she can't afford a car but more so because her daily walks were the only time she can exercise. She gave up swimming long ago. Now that she mentioned it, she might need to join a club to boost her extra-curricular activities. She sighed, now that one was harder. Since she entered Meiou, Yui had not joined one club, even the swimming team lacked the allure it once had for her in junior high, primarily because the girls use the swimming team to wear really skimpy swimsuits to attract the boys.

Speaking of boys, Yui couldn't help but think of the redhead who took her home last night. Yui…he called her Yui. Nobody in Meiou called her Yui because nobody wanted to be close to her. Nobody wanted to be associated with her and so the club thing would be an ordeal. She wanted to laugh at herself because she stayed up all night thinking of him. Nobody in Meiou filled her thoughts at night. It was a refreshing new feeling, something she hadn't experienced in the longest time. Thinking of a boy was a very high school thing and now that she was at it, she realized she was in fact a normal high school girl. Somehow, the thought warmed her.

"Hongou!" a familiar voice called her and she turned to see Minamino on his bike, paddling toward her. He stopped for her and smiled warmly. "_Ohayou gozaimasu_."

"_Ohayou gozaimasu_," Yui smiled back hesitantly. They were never close so she couldn't understand why he was suddenly very warm to her.

"Do you need a ride?" he asked and Yui frowned. Her reaction made him laugh and Yui felt warm inside. No wonder Minamino was the school heartthrob, he was handsome and nice, probably a little too nice. She looked at him, noticing his beautiful long hair, his emerald eyes, his perfectly-shaped face. He stopped laughing and stared back at her. "Do I have dirt on my face?"

Yui flushed and looked away, shaking her head for being caught openly staring at him. "No. I…I just realized that…" she laughed slightly at her own thoughts. "I realized that we've been classmates for two years now and I never really looked at you."

To her surprise, Minamino smiled with a slight blush on his face. "Is that your way of saying you have a crush on me?" Yui made a face.

"That's so conceited of you Minamino-san." She laughed slightly. "No wonder we're not friends." She turned and resumed walking. Minamino paddled his bike and paced with her walking.

"So how about the ride I offered?" he asked and she smirked.

"You never offered a ride, you _asked _me if I _need_ one," she said matter-of-factly. She often gets annoyed when Meiou boys talk to her but she was finding him quite entertaining. She felt like she can literally tell him anything and he wouldn't get mad or feel bad. He was definitely nicer than nice. The red-haired bishounen laughed, this time louder.

"Ride with me?" She shook her head, slightly frowning. "Why not? It was fun last night." Remains of last night appeared in her thoughts and she frowned imagining the way she wrapped her arms around him. That doesn't sound too fun, it was actually humiliating. She stopped walking and he pressed the brake. She faced him and pulled her skirt down a little.

"Can you keep a secret?" she asked tentatively and he nodded, looking at her seriously. "I forgot to bring my skirt to the seamstress and well, it's a little too short…"

"I noticed," he told her and she frowned.

"Is it too obvious?" She was worried. If everyone noticed, she'll be teased especially by the plastics. High school was full of girls who were too insecure of themselves they look for the flaw of others. And Meirou was overflowing with high school plastics.

"It looks good on you," he said softly and Yui made a face. He laughed. "I thought you're the type who doesn't care what others say?"

"Who told you that?" She looked away, still worried. She resumed walking and he paddled beside her.

"Well…" he started tentatively. "It's what I heard some of the boys say in the changing rooms. They say you're not like normal high school girls."

"Oh, right." She sighed and looked at him. "You can't give me a ride now, we're already here." Minamino laughed when he too realized they're almost at the school gates. "Thanks for the offer, though."

"How about after class? Or tomorrow?" he asked. Yui turned to him with a slightly confused face.

"No, thanks. Maybe when my skirt's long enough." She smiled at him one last time before she turned and entered the gates, still worried about her little skirt.

--

Kurama looked out on the Tokyo horizon, reveling in the tedious feel of the day. It was lunch break and the students have been eating in the cafeteria or sprawled in the gardens with their lunch boxes. The first half of the opening of classes went on in its normal way. After Yui left him earlier at the gates, girls swarmed toward him and it took him a good deal of five minutes before he could paddle away from them. By then Yui was already at the shoes lockers and she was probably walking to class.

The red-haired smiled when he remembered their little conversation earlier. Nobody called him conceited before and none of the girls turned down his offer of a ride, although he seldom asked girls for one. He somehow liked the normalcy in the way the blonde treats him. She didn't blush too much, drool or openly try to impress him. It was refreshing to have a girl act normal in front of him for a change. And it had been a long time since he experienced being a typical high school student. Yui made him feel excited in a non-sexual way.

"You're so conceited, Minamino-san," Kurama looked up and found a small boy with dark hair sitting smugly across him. He was at the rooftop to avoid the crowd. Girls always made lunch for him and he really preferred eating the one his mother made. "Stop thinking of the girl, she's too _normal_ for you."

"Hiei, what brought you here?" he laughed when his good friend made a face. He had not been to Makai for almost a year. Koenma had been silent lately so he assumed everything was going well. With Hiei here, there was a possibility he needed to go back. But that's just his guess.

"I'm just passing by," he said smugly. "I like her, though, looks like a strong-willed woman." Kurama leaned back on the wall, smiling.

"Did you notice anything different in her?" Kurama asked. "There's something in her that felt…similar to Keiko. It's weird but I sometimes feel she's a _youkai_…but then, she's not. If she's one, she'll recognize me."

"You've been thinking of that?" Hiei raised an eyebrow. "Makai had been in peace for a long time now. If she's a _youkai_, she needs special permission to be here. And she'd be in the watchlist like all of us."

Kurama knew what Hiei meant. Him, Hiei, Kuwabara, and Yusuke were only allowed to stay in the land of the mortals because they're spirit detectives. But that doesn't mean they're free to do as they please. They are still being watched, as Hiei said. It was useless thinking of Yui, she was as normal as any girl can be. He might have imagined things. Or this feeling might be something else. Something he would not dare define.

The door of the top floor opened harshly and someone walked in. Kurama doesn't have to lean down to see it was her. She was the only girl in Meiou who goes up to the rooftop. He can smell her faintly and hear her annoyed grunts as she slumped on the corner and breathed out angrily. This was not the first time she bolted into the top floor with lunch but this was the first time she was very angry. Hiei looked at him, smirking.

Yui's phone rang and she instantly answered it. "_Moshi-moshi_? MIAKA! Gosh you couldn't imagine what happened to me. I really hate Meiou…" Shuuichi's ears twitched as he struggled to hear what her friend said on the other end. He was aware Hiei was doing the same.

"Yui-chan, you're so funny! Surely it's not that awful. I really miss you! Listen Taka and I are dropping by Shinjuku this weekend. Why don't we hang out? We wanted to tell you something."

"Like what? Getting married?" Yui asked boredly, her mood has improved. The girl on the other line squealed so loudly Kurama frowned. "Tone it down you _baka_. Thanks to you I'm probably close to being deaf by now."

"He proposed! But don't tell him I told you. He wanted to break the news on Saturday. Just pretend that you're surprised. Don't laugh Yui. I'll kill you if you laugh!"

Yui laughed slightly. "Whatever. How's Yotsubadai?"

"Not so good. I think I'm failing! You need to tutor me Yui! But that aside, why are you so mad earlier? Meiou's been mean to you?"

"Meiou has always been mean to me. I hate private schools." Yui frowned and took a bite of her sandwich. "At least the sandwiches are good."

"That's disgusting, sandwiches for lunch. Let me guess you're having milk and apples too. That's _so_ western Yui-chan."

"Is it a weird mix?"

"Yes. You're Japanese! You're supposed to have sushi or tempura or you know, something with rice for lunch. But then, I forgot you're half English so…it's not so bad. But I wouldn't eat that, though."

"I don't have time to cook, unlike junior high." She took another bite of her sandwich. "Things were much simpler and happier in junior high," she muttered under her breath. "Yeah, you're right, it tastes awful. But that aside, what time are you dropping by?"

"I'm not really sure yet. Can you bring a boyfriend along? So you don't look envious of me and Taka on Saturday."

"I'm not envious!" Her friend laughed at the other end. "I really am not. I don't need a boyfriend hanging on my neck at the moment. High school is bad enough."

"I heard Meiou boys are really really cute and they're rich."

"Yeah and they're perverts too. Well, not all, but most are." Kurama shifted, trying to hide his laughter. "And I think we better talk at home. _Sayonara_." She placed the phone down and silence followed. "I know you're there, come out now."

Hiei eyed him sharply. Kurama sighed and jumped down very silently beside her. Okay, not really beside her. She was sitting on the corner of the wall and he just went down on the other corner. They're not literally beside each other but then they can be described as beside each other.

"Didn't mean to eavesdrop," he whispered and she sighed. "I was here before you came…stormed in."

"Stormed in…I like that," she said softly. "That was my bestfriend. She's studying in Yotsubadai," Yui whispered back as if they were sharing a secret. Shuuichi smiled.

"What happened downstairs?" he asked and she didn't say anything. She opened her carton of milk and drank from it slowly.

"Nothing special. You don't want to know."

"Maybe I do."

Silence again. "My friend's right, sandwiches are not good lunch choices." Kurama smiled, she was changing the topic. He opened his lunch box and placed it on the floor beside her.

"You can eat mine. I'm not very hungry," he said and was surprised when she turned at his corner and blinked blue eyes at him. Her headband was a bit off but she still looked pretty.

"You made this?" she asked and he shook his head.

"My mom did." She smiled softly and went back to her original seat.

"I can't eat it then."

"Why not?"

"Because it was made for you, silly." Kurama closed his eyes to listen to her voice. "She woke up early to prepare one for you. You better eat it. It'll make her happy."

"You don't want it?" he asked, a little disappointed. It's the second time she refused him today. "She cooks really well." Yui didn't say anything but he could tell she was smiling. "You're always turning me down."

"I'm not. I just—Fine. Just one bite." Kurama laughed and handed her his chopsticks. "You only have one?"

"Yeah, why?" he said and Yui laughed slightly.

"Is it okay if I use your chopsticks? I mean, you wouldn't feel disgusted?"

It was Kurama's turn to cross the gap and look at her. "Yes, you can use my chopsticks and no, I won't feel disgusted. I don't have saliva issues if that's what you want to know." Yui laughed louder now. She took his chopsticks and took one sushi from his bento box.

"I've never shared chopsticks before, even with my bestfriend." She immediately took it in her mouth and handed the chopsticks back to him. She was blushing and he laughed at her. She was an amusing girl.

Kurama also took a sushi and ate it. "Same here. See, it's not so bad." She looked away, nodding. "Is it good?" Yui nodded.

"It's better than the ones I make. A lot better." He stayed there staring at her, she was right, they have been classmates for two years now and they never really looked at each other—until now. She raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"What are you listening at?" he said, reasoning the earphones he just noticed. What was weird was that he never heard any songs playing earlier.

"Oh, some of Ayaka's songs. I really like her. Do you want to listen with me?" she asked innocently. Kurama stood up and walked over to her side of the wall. Now they were really beside each other. Yui placed the other earphone on his left ear and their skins brushed. The contact made him feel warm.

Yui increased the volume of her mp3 and the mellow sounds filled their senses. "What song is this?"

"_Anata to_," Yui leaned back on the wall and closed her eyes. "I like this song…it's very hopeful." Kurama sat there, watching her smile softly.

"It's a good song," he said after a few minutes but she didn't answer. She was asleep. Another track fleeted in his ears. _Itsumono you ni hitori kaeri...Kagi wo sashi DOA wo akeru to..."Okaeri" to kimi ga...Demukaete kureru nante...Awai kitai idaite... _[Just like always, I come back alone inserting the key and opening the door, "Welcome" you say, greeting me with the obligatory faint embrace]

Kurama softly pulled her and she ended up leaning on his shoulder. _Kizutsuku no wo osore...Itsumo me wo somuke nigete kita kedo...Machi de kimi no kaori kanjiru tabi...Shirazu ni furimuita jibun ga iru..._[Because I'm afraid of pain I always turn away my eyes and run, But everytime I smell your scent I unconsciously turn myself around]

He finished his lunch and when the song ended, he was looking at the blue skies, hearing the faint sound of her breathing and the gentle melody in his ears. He closed his eyes and before the third song started, he too was asleep.

Hiei smirked. Kurama had completely forgotten about him because of this girl. He looked down on the two sleeping figures one last time before he went back to Makai.

--

The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. Yui woke up with a start and she was surprised when she realized she was leaning on Minamino's shoulder, the playlist has started again and they were listening to the same song. She looked up and the bishounen gently opened his eyes and smiled at her.

"Good morning," he greeted and she blushed. She pulled away from him and looked around. They had fallen asleep. Had anyone seen them?

"We should go back to class," she said with a slight panic in her voice. Minamino stood up and offered her a hand. She took it and immediately let go when she was already standing. "I'm sorry I fell asleep Minamino-san."

"It was okay, I fell asleep myself." Minamino smiled at him. "Just call me Shuuichi. Minamino-san is too formal…Yui?" She nodded and looked away immediately. Her face was burning. It was not everyday she fell asleep beside the hottest guy in school. It was slightly humiliating. And they're calling each other on the first name basis now.

They walked back to class and everyone fell silent when they entered the room. She sighed, remembering what happened during lunch. She just finished buying food when one of the girls tripped her, sending her falling on the floor—and making her skirt pull up more. Everyone laughed at her and the boys were looking at her in that perverted way that scared her so much. Then one of the girls, Ritsuko, one of the bitchiest girls in class and proclaimed Queen of Meiou walked toward her and told her to stop flirting with her Shuuichi-kun.

Was she flirting with Shuuichi? No she was not. But they didn't know that. They were too malicious to think they were just friends. Friends. Does friends share chopsticks and fell asleep listening to one music? Her face burned as she made her way toward her seat beside the window. A few minutes of silence followed and the teacher arrived. Ms Natsuda greeted them and they greeted back very politely.

"I forgot to mention earlier that since you're all graduating at the end of the year, the faculty decided to pair you with each other so you won't have a hard time finishing your assignments and other projects. The pairings will be permanent in all classes until you graduate," she said.

The reactions of the students were mixed. Most of them were excited especially since they will be paired with their lovers or their crushes. She frowned, she always hated working with a group or a partner. She was never a team player. Yui raised a hand and the teacher called her. "Are we choosing our partners, Natsuda-sensei?"

"Good question, Hongou. No, we will do it in a very fun way." After saying so, she explained how they're going to be paired. She showed them a very big paper posted on the board. At the bottom of the paper were horizontal black lines where they were to put their names. One by one the students went up front to write their names.

As they do so, Ms Natsuda explained that she will pull the paper that covered the pairings later and they will find out who their partners were. Everyone was excited—except for her. She stood up the same way Shuuichi did and she wrote her name as quickly as she could. Shuuichi looked at her, walked closer and then wrote his own exactly beside her name, making the rest of the class whispering behind them. He smiled at her and she looked away, hurriedly walking back to her chair. The girls in class hurriedly went toward the board and wrote their names on the other side of Shuuichi's name. Yui looked out the window. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom and they looked beautiful from her window.

Yui's thoughts were with the buds when the teacher pulled the paper and the girls in class gasped at the pairing. She didn't pay them any attention. She was looking at two birds perched on the tree, cleaning each other. The sight of them brought a smile on her face. In the class, Ms Natsuda was calling out the pairings.

"Oda and Miyuki, Iiji and Hikaru…Oh, this is interesting, Minamino and Hongou." The class gasped and the lovebirds flew away. Yui turned toward the board and looked at the intertwined lines closely. How was it possible that they were partners? She saw her name and followed the thin red line that went across the board and back and ended…exactly on his name.

"Natsuda-sensei, isn't it unfair that Hongou and Minamino are paired? They're the first and second in class!" Ritsuko said with panic. The other students agreed and Yui looked at him from across the room. He just smiled back in the smile she always regarded with caution. He was a nice happy man, yes, but he was hard to predict. She always felt that there was something behind his smiles and his pretty face but she never really cared in the past—until now.

"No, you chose where to put your names. The procedure is very fair. Yes Amano?"

"But their names were beside each other."

"Yes, but they didn't know there's a red line that would put them together." The class went silent. "The common belief with this paper pairing is that your partner is across the board but it doesn't mean you couldn't get a partner beside your name." Ms Natsuda looked at the board. "Omi and Kobayashi's names are beside each other too and they're partners."

"But they're the best in class!" Ritsuko said again. "It's unfair for us! We'll never beat them in the rankings!"

"Yes and no. It means that the best in class will be competing head on while working together. So if Hongou and Minamino wanted to outdo each other, they have to find a way to get better grades in individual projects. As they say, keep your friends close, your enemies closer."

"But—" It was Ritsuko again.

"Minamino, are you amenable to being Hongou's partner?" Ms Natsuda asked and Yui looked at him, frowning. The class silenced.

"Absolutely," he said, looking back at her. Yui's face felt warm again and her eyebrows creased.

"Hongou? Is the pairing okay with you?" Ms Natsuda asked in a very kind way. There was a look in her eyes that expected her to say yes. And so she did.

"_Hai_, Natsuda-sensei. I'd love to be Minamino-san's partner." She turned toward Ritsuko and raised an eyebrow at her, smirking. This was payback after what the brunette did to her at the cafeteria. Oh revenge was sweet.

"Now the pairings are final. If you have violent reactions, see me in the faculty office." The class started and as Yui turned back on the board, she caught Shuuchi staring at her. When their eyes met, he was no longer smiling, he looked at her as if seeing her for the first time. He shook his head and then turned his attention on Ms Natsuda's lecture.

* * *

**_A/N: _**_The songs Yui and Shuuichi were listening to are **Anata to** and **Buruu Deizu**, both by Ayaka. (You should try listening to these songs, it's really very nice.)_

_Thanks so much for reading! For those who are wondering, this fic will develop really slowly. I realized that it's quite hard to develop Yui and Kurama together because they literally haven't met each other! Please do leave reviews, though! Thanks again!_


	4. Chapter Three

_Yes, another update. I have so many things I want to happen in this story so I keep on updating and updating so I'll have more ideas. Btw, this happens a year before the last episode of the YYH series, before Yusuke returned from Makai and he and Keiko's meeting on the shore._

_In this story, Shuuichi is still Kurama and getting used to the normal life. The only changes I did are: 1) Kurama didn't get promoted so he's 18 and still in high school, and 2) Yui went to another school and broke up with Tetsuya. These are really minor changes so their pasts are all part of the story. Please continue reading and do leave reviews!_

**_Michi:_**_Kokoda and Shuuichi are stepbrothers. :) They only became brothers when Kurama's mother married Kokoda (originally named Shuuichi)'s dad. Kurama's character follows those of a kitsune, which are flirts and a little narcissistic. The series never showed Kurama's love life so his reactions here are based on how I think he would deal with love, of course in the kitsune way. :)_

**_Disclaimer: _**_FY and YYH are not mine._

* * *

**Chapter Three**

By Slavedriver2008

* * *

The sakura blossoms were more beautiful today, Yui thought as she leaned on her table, looking out at the branches that reached her window. It rained during the early morning so the pink leaves were glistening under the bright sun. She placed a hand under her chin and tried to imagine what they smelled like, faint sweet smell that goes well with a cup of hot tea. It was still _hanami_ season but she doesn't know if she'll have the time to sit back and relax this year.

The coffee shop she was working in closed down over the winter break so she had to focus on the bookstore job. Unfortunately, the couple who owned it already has enough people shifting during the weekdays. Besides, the owner said, they will be closed for three weeks in spring so the couple can travel to the Caribbean. They have saved up for it and spring was the perfect season for their second honeymoon.

In short, Yui needed to find a job to augment for the coffee shop—quickly. Or else, she'll have to depend on her parents who were probably themselves short of cash for their London trip. There was the option of borrowing from her grandparents but they'd ask her to move in with them if that happens, being the sole grandchild. And she and her parents don't want that.

But still, drinking tea with her grandmother, who makes the best concoction in Japan, sounded very enticing. Maybe it wasn't so bad to take over the teahouse school. She sighed, maybe asking them for help wasn't so bad. They really loved her so much.

"What was that for?" Yui looked up and found Shuuichi standing over her table. Her initial reaction was to blush after she saw his beautiful form. He tied his hair in a ponytail and he really really REALLY looked gorgeous. He pulled a chair and sat across her, head leaning on his hand, smiling. "Why the heavy sigh?"

"Nothing important. Just about some spring fantasy of mine. Why are you talking to me?" she asked and his eyebrows creased. But he was still smiling.

"Why not? You're my academic partner," he said casually. He took out a tiny plastic bag of assorted candies and placed it on her table. "Kokoda asked me to give this to you. Thank you for taking him home the other night."

Yui briefly heard some murmurs in the back of the room and she rolled her eyes. "He doesn't have to, really." Shuuichi laughed and looked at her intently.

"Mama only buys her candies once a week. He really likes you a lot. He doesn't like sharing his candies much." Yui's face felt warm and she stared at the colorful sweet goodies. "I forgot your jacket home so maybe you can have dinner in my place tonight to pick it up." Some of the girls gasped. Yui's heart beat loudly.

"You shouldn't give me too much attention, Shuuichi," she whispered. He smiled, fascination sketched on his green eyes.

"Why not? I don't have a girlfriend." He reasoned out and Yui flushed. She frowned at him. "But seriously, we could talk about our lessons after dinner. We both don't want to go down in the rankings." Yui sighed and nodded. "Let's go home straight after class."

Shuuichi stood up and before Yui could ask what he meant, he was back on his chair and Ms Natsuda has entered the classroom. After the greetings, class began very tediously. Yui was counting the hours, waiting for the bell to signal the end of day. A few seats away, Shuuichi was thinking of the same thing.

--

Shuuichi was already standing before her table seconds after the school bell rang. Yui immediately placed her notebook and supplies inside her bag. Ritsuko approached him and Yui frowned. She really hated the girl and right now, she was about to do what Yui hated so much in her: flirting.

"Minamino-kun! I found a new coffee shop in town. Why don't we drop by to try?" she asked, looking at the redhead very seductively. Yui rolled her eyes. She was at it again. The sight of her wanted to make Yui sick. She really hated the way girls flirt in Meiou.

"_Sumimasen_, Iiji-san. Yui and I are studying tonight." Shuuichi said and Ritsuko raised an eyebrow.

"Yui?" she pronounced her name as if tasting bile. "Surely you can stay for awhile with me. It's not so far from here. Besides, you can call _Yui_ later. You really don't have to take the partner thing seriously," The brunette insisted. She wrapped her hands on his arms and made circling marks on his skin. Yui's brow creased. The boys' spring-summer uniforms were short-sleeved white shirts, black pants and black ties. They have the option of wearing an overcoat or not. Shuuichi didn't have one.

"Unfortunately, my brother is also waiting for me. I still have to tutor him." He smiled at her. "Maybe some other time, Iiji-san." Shuuichi turned to her and Yui looked back with a raised eyebrow. "Should we go now, Yui?"

She nodded and they left the room, leaving behind the glaring girl. They didn't say anything on the way toward the shoes lockers. When she opened her locker, a pile of love letters filled her view and some spilled on the floor. Shuuichi whistled behind her.

"Someone got love letters…" he teased and Yui looked sharply at him. He walked over to his locker and opened it. Yui laughed when numerous love letters spilled from his lockers.

"Yeah…_someone_ got love letters," she teased back and he winked at her. The act shut her up and she blushed, earning a laugh from the bishounen. Annoyed, Yui shoved the letters into her bag and took out her black shoes. Her bag was bulging and she can barely close it but she noticed Shuuichi put the letters in a paper bag and carried it casually.

"It seems many noticed your little skirt," he teased her as they walked out of the school gates. Yui flushed.

"You said it's not obvious," she said like a petulant child.

"I said it looks good on you," he clarified and Yui made a face. "I guess I'm not the only one who appreciates beauty around here." Yui flushed harder and walked ahead of him. He was laughing when he paced with her and she just looked down.

"At least no one outrightly flirts with me," she said smugly. "I would be pissed if a male version of Ritsuko goes all touchy on me."

Shuuichi laughed, this time louder. "It wasn't so bad." Yui stared at him, eyebrow raised. "She's a beautiful girl." Yui couldn't believe Shuuichi said what he just said.

"Flirt," she called him and resumed walking.

Shuuichi followed her, his eyes dancing. "You look cute when you're jealous," he told her a little too loudly. Yui face went hot and she turned to him, frowning.

"What?! I'm not—" Shuuichi smiled at her and she hit him in the arms. He laughed louder, her actions fascinating him. "Conceited." She turned away from him, walking faster. "Where's your bicycle?"

"Didn't bring it." He walked beside her. "You shouldn't walk too fast, your skirt's pulling up. A little higher and I might end up writing you a love letter tonight." He winked and Yui slapped him in the arms again. Her face went a shade of beet red and it stayed that way until they reached his house.

--

"I'm home!" Shuuichi called out as soon as they stepped out of the elevator.

"I was waiting for you. Can't wait to meet the girl you're finally bringing home," an elderly woman appeared near the elevator and Yui bowed when the woman raked green eyes at her.

"_Ohayou gozaimasu_, madam," Yui said formally and the woman walked toward her, smiling.

"_Ohayou gozaimasu_, you're Yui right?" Yui nodded and the older woman touched her arm, slightly pulling her inside the house. "A beautiful girl seldom visits. You're Shuuichi's classmate, am I correct? I always see you when I visit school and I always ask Shuuichi to invite you over. By the way, thank you so much for finding my little boy." She said everything so fast that Yui could only smile at her. Shuuichi looked at her apologetically.

"It's nice to meet you, madam. Is Kokoda-kun home?" she asked and the woman nodded.

"Yes, he arrived earlier and kept asking what time his '_onee-chan_' will arrive. My sons are infatuated with you and I can't blame them. You're a really pretty girl." Yui blushed and Shuuichi's eyes widened at his mother. "I've always told Shuuichi I wanted to meet the prettiest girl in his class and I'm so glad to finally meet you," she teased and Yui smiled, unsure.

"You're mistaken, I'm not the prettiest in class." They arrived at the dining area and she had her seated at one of the chairs.

"I'm sure Shuuichi said you are the prettiest in school."

"Mama!" the redhead gasped and Yui turned crimson again.

"Shuuichi told me so many things about you," she said and Yui blushed. What? They were never close, how can he say _many things_ about her? The woman had her seated and she turned to her son. "Sit beside her now. Your father will not join us for dinner. He's staying at the office. Entertain our guest as I give your brother a fast bath."

The green-eyed _bishounen_ helplessly obliged and Yui stiffened when he gave her his attention. "I'm sorry about my mom." Yui nodded.

"She's a nice warm woman. Unlike my mom." Yui rolled her eyes and the redhead laughed beside her.

"How did you find my brother the other night?" he asked and Yui told him about the park. "He was at the park all along? Hmm…Thank you for bringing him back."

"I was worried he might catch a cold and it's the first day of classes." He smiled and she looked away. "Turns out he's still in preschool."

"How do we go about the partner thing?" He asked slowly and Yui sighed.

"I really don't know. Do we really need to study together?" she asked and he laughed. Yui had a better view of his face and he smelled nice too, she thought. Wait, she was not supposed to think of him that way. They were classmates and everyone in school literally drooled over him. But she never noticed him before and she thought he hadn't changed much. Gosh, how did she manage to be unaffected by him for the last two years?

"What is it this time? I don't have dirt on my face right?" Shuuichi asked, looking at her intently. Yui blushed a deeper crimson. She shook her head wildly.

"What will you do with the letters?"

"Read them when I have the time. What will you do with yours?" he asked casually.

"I don't know. I don't usually get letters." Shuuichi's eyes widened, surprised.

"You don't get letters? Even in junior high?" Yui nodded and his eyebrows creased.

"I used to cut my hair really really short to avoid the attention. I mean, boys tend to go for girls with long hair." Yui told him slowly. Shuuichi looked at her intently, as if imaging her in a much shorter hair. "I can't blame you for liking the attention. I mean girls are not as pushy as boys."

"What do you mean?" Shuuichi asked and Yui avoided his stare.

"Nothing." She arranged the table napkin on her lap. "You are very pleasant to look at, by the way. No wonder you have a fanclub." She said diverting the attention. He laughed slightly.

"I can't help it if you're the only girl in Meiou who doesn't have a crush on me," he teased and Yui made a face.

"You are really so narcissistic," she quipped and he laughed, a real loud laugh.

"You know what I realized yesterday? We're not friends because you are always competing with me," he reasoned out and Yui rolled his eyes.

"Why would I compete with you? All I want is to get out of Meiou and get into university." Yui looked up to him and he smiled. He has such a kind smile. But his eyes were not as expressive as she thought they should be. They seemed to be hiding something.

"You did beat me at the top spot in the major schools," he teased. "Jounan, Yotsubadai, Meiou…" Yui laughed.

"So who's being competitive now?" his eyes widened briefly and he ended up laughing.

"I was right, you are fun to be with," he noted and she blushed again. She raised an eyebrow and he smiled back. "The boys in school always talk about you. They think you're the mature type, the quiet one, and some other stuff you wouldn't want to know."

"Like what?"

Shuuichi looked at her with brows creased. He shook his head. "You don't want to know, trust me."

"Try me," she urged and he looked back warily.

"It didn't come from me, okay?" Yui nodded, preparing for the worst. "Well, they say you're probably good in bed and they ended up fantasizing about you all day, especially after swimming classes. No wonder you get lots of secret admirers."

Yui made a face and the _bishounen_ laughed at her reaction. "Eeewww. That's disgusting. No wonder the girls in school call me a slut." She rolled her eyes.

"They're just envious. You got good grades, good looks, a college boyfriend, a life beyond high school," he pointed out and the blonde girl blushed again.

"I _had_ a college boyfriend and working as a waiter is not really a life beyond high school. Besides, the café closed down already." She took the glass of water on the table and drank from it.

"You don't have a boyfriend?" he asked, his eyes shining, and Yui nodded slowly. "Wow, the boys would be thrilled to know that." She slapped his arm and he laughed. "Can I tell them I like your company then?" Yui blinked at him. He liked her company?

"The girls will probably not like that." He leaned closer. Yui can smell him better now. Oh gods, he smelled _very_ nice. She should stop thinking of him romantically, they're academic partners! But why does he keep on leaning and leaning closer?

"_Nee-chan_!" Kokoda showed up between them and Yui smiled at him. Shuuichi cleared his throat. "Did you like the candies? I picked them out myself when I went to the candyman last Saturday," he said proudly. Yui smiled at him.

"Thank you, that was very sweet of you," she leaned down to plant a kiss on his cheek. The boy blushed and giggled. He smelled of fresh powder and children's soap.

"Dinner's here!" Shuuichi's mother appeared from the kitchen carrying plates of food. She placed one before her and the aroma of freshly-cooked meal tickled Yui's senses. Kokoda took the seat across her and took his chopsticks.

"_Itadakimasu_!" the boy said and they started to eat. Yui couldn't eat much but the food was very impressively cooked. It was simple but the tastes were there—it was even better than what she cooked every night!

Shuuichi was very attentive, he recommended which sauces go well with certain cuisine. They were having Mediterranean food and it was actually Yui's first time to eat that kind of food. Her parents were never fascinated with garlicky food. But they do love Italian, though.

"How do you like dinner, Yui?" Mrs Minamino asked when the dinner ended and she smiled widely.

"It was very good. It's actually my first time to eat Mediterranean cuisine." The woman laughed and Shuuichi chuckled beside her.

"Shuichi loves Mediterranean food. What kind of food do you eat, then?" she asked softly.

"Well, my parents love French food but I still love good old Japanese cooking," she told them and the older woman's eyes brightened.

"That's wonderful. I love Japanese cuisine too! You should come back tomorrow. Wednesday dinner is always Japanese night."

"You're too kind, madam," she said. "But I have to look for work after school." Shuuichi's mother frowned.

"That's too bad. Aren't your parents worried you're working late?" Yui smiled tentatively and then shook her head. "No wonder you're too skinny. Boys like fuller bodied girls." Yui blushed. "Except Shuichi. Now that I mentioned it, you're exactly the type of girl he goes for." Yui choked on her drink. "You two should date."

"MAMA!" Shuuichi uttered desperately, earning another laugh from his mother. "I'm taking Yui home." They both stood up and Yui thanked the woman again. Kokoda was yawning when they left. They were at the elevator when Shuuichi spoke again. "Until what time do you usually work?"

Yui blushed, remembering what his mother said earlier. "Often it lasts until nine but sometimes I had to stay longer." He nodded but said nothing. They stepped out of the elevator and went to the parking area. As expected Shuuichi took out his bicycle.

When he offered his hand, she smiled and took it, sitting on the usual place he first made her sit. Her face was red when she wrapped her arms around him and as they paddled into the night, Yui realized that the bicycle ride was indeed fun. He didn't ask her for directions and they were quiet as they made their way into her house. She was full of his scent and she loved it.

"We're home," he said and she smiled at him, standing on the gates.

"Thanks again," she managed to say out. Shuichi smiled.

"Don't I get a kiss?" he teased and Yui's eyes widened. "I'm just kidding." He laughed. "My brother did get a kiss when he gave you the candies," he smirked.

Yui laughed and nodded, there was a floating aura in the night and it made her think it was a dream. Why else would he ask? Without another word, she leaned and planted a kiss on the side of his mouth, his smell filling her senses. Dream dream dream. They probably won't remember anything tomorrow. She'll open her eyes and wake up on her bed. "Good night, Shuuichi-kun."

Shuichi looked at her and smiled softly. "Have a pleasant dream, Yui…Yui-chan." Dazed, she walked toward her house and she was lying on her bed when she realized she forgot two things: 1) They weren't able to study as he initially said, and 2) She forgot her jacket again.

* * *

**_A/N:_**_Thanks for reading! Please do leave reviews!_


	5. Chapter Four

_Yay, another update. I've written two more chapters on this story but I'm doing some editing in the succession or else the story would be scattered all over the place and it would be too late for me to re-construct it. As you noticed, I changed the title to **Never Let Me Go** because it suits them better than **Daydream Delusions**, which was taken from my favorite movie, **Before Sunrise**. Hope you like the story! Please do leave reviews!_

_Btw, if the sequence is in Kurama's perspective, I'm mentioning his name as Kurama but if it's in Yui's perspective, I'll be using Shuuichi. Hope this avoids any confusion. It just needs a little getting used to but it's very useful. :D_

**_Michi:_**_I feel that we are moving in the same wavelength! :) I wrote a Kurama POV for this chapter a few weeks ago, right after I wrote the previous chapter. Ahahahaha! The name Kokoda was the name used in the US release of YYH so I just adapted from there. I'm not familiar with Kokoda's age anymore so I used five because a younger brother at that age looks cute. ^_^_

**_Disclaimer:_**_FY and YYH are not mine._

* * *

**Chapter Four**

By Slavedriver2008

* * *

Kurama woke up with a smile on his face. It was a beautiful morning, primarily because he had a beautiful night. He stood up and prepared for school. Nothing will happen if he continued to lie down and think of what happened. He was already home when he realized he and Yui failed to do what they were supposed to do: study and get her jacket. Somehow, the idea made him happy. At least there were enough reasons to ask her to visit again and to take her home on his bike. Suddenly, the bike became a very important tool for him, though truth be told, he never needed it to go to school. He can simply jump on trees and roofs and arrive in less time. But the bicycle was his way of living a normal high school life, a way to remind himself that he belonged to this world.

Now, it was becoming his ticket to a normal high school love life. What? He frowned at the thought. No love for him, as Hiei said, Yui was too _normal_. All of the girls he meet everyday were too normal for him anyway. He briefly wondered, as he started to walk to school, if falling in love was part of what he accepted in his human life. After the battle of the Three Kings, he decided to come back to the human world and live as a human, if only to repay the love his mother gave her. But does staying in this world mean he had to play with the laws? Does he have to even entertain the idea of falling in love with another human? By body he was a human, a normal human. But by spirit he was immortal. And if his body dies, his soul could return to Makai as a _youko_. His old life.

Kurama wondered what part of him was Shuuichi Minamino and what part of him was Youko Kurama but decided that he was one and the same. But then, if the other side of him had not decided to possess the spirit of the boy inside Minamino Shiori, what kind of life would he have? Since he was a child, he knew he was destined to return to Makai so he never entertained human-like thoughts. Love was simply a human emotion, a human feeling he never really valued much. But when he finally admitted his mortal form, was he accepting…love?

The idea filled his thoughts and he shook his head. If he were the normal Shuuichi Minamino without the spirit of the kitsune, would he had fallen in love? With his childhood friend Hitajima Maya perhaps? He did save Maya while in Junior High, that's when he met Hiei, but it doesn't mean he loved her. What he felt then was more on friendship, to forbid someone you know from entering a world you know would be too dangerous. He smirked. No, a part of him saved her because he needed a reason to step back in the underworld. Shuuichi decided to stop his thoughts on Maya. He did not like where it was heading.

Back to love, if he were a normal high school boy, would he had fallen for the numerous girls who showered him with affection, girls who flirt with him like Ritsuko? Maybe not, he thought, shaking his head. Even in his drunken most crazy state, he doubt if he'll fall for such a girl. Does he even know love?

And then there was Yui.

The smartest girl in class who beat him in the rankings. The only girl who did, he reminded himself. She caught his attention during the release of the results and it surprised him to find her in the same uniform when classes opened. She was the name that constantly cropped up during lunch, over girls gossips and boys conversations about girls. She knew so much yet talked so little, seldom smiled, seldom participated in club activities. She acted like she was floating in another world—like him. Maybe that was why he felt she was not as normal as Hiei claimed her to be. Maybe she had passed the borders. Maybe she was another _youkai_. Maybe she knew how to hide her spirit energy. Maybe she was a hunter in disguise, waiting to kill him. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe he was…

Kurama shook his head again, dispelling the last line of thoughts that entered his head but another part of him was arguing. But wasn't she the primary reason why so many questions cropped up in his head? She was the reason why he wanted to differentiate between Shuuichi Minamino and Youko Kurama. And why he wanted to know if being normal meant taking girls home on a bicycle and asking them for a kiss.

"_Konnichiwa_, Shuuichi," Yui called beside her and he was surprised to see her. "You're too deep in thoughts you walked past the gates." He stopped walking and she laughed. _She laughed_. "Come on, we'll be late for class."

Kurama nodded and followed her, noticing the little skirt she had been so conscious of since school started. "I forgot to write your love letter last night," he teased and she made a face. He liked teasing her because that's the only time she blushes for him.

"I'm going to the seamstress this weekend so you better reconsider," she hit back, blushing slightly.

"Good. You can ride my bicycle then." Yui rolled her eyes and didn't say anything but she was smiling. "Were you able to sleep last night?"

"Of course. You?"

"No," he admitted, partly true. "You were in my dreams so I keep on waking up shivering. What a nightmare." Yui slapped him in the arm. She was becoming fond of doing that and he was beginning to like the little act.

"You are so mean!" They walked past the gates and hurried toward the shoes lockers. "But it sounds more like a wet dream to me." Kurama laughed loudly, unprepared for what she said. His face felt warm and she was red too.

"You always surprise me." Yui raised an eyebrow and he walked past her. Yes, she always do little things that surprises him. She was like an iceberg, showing only 10% and keeping the rest hidden. At that moment, he knew there were more to her and he wanted to know her secrets. He wanted to melt the ice around her and find out why she made him feel different. And he knew deep inside that he was a big Pandora box that he wanted to open. Temptation. She was his biggest temptation.

Kurama pulled out his white shoes and she did the same. Both not saying anything. They were at different ends of the room and he briefly regretted not sitting beside her. "I now know what you're like," she said after a few minutes and he looked up at her form. "A _kitsune_," she whispered, walking closer to him. His eyes widened and he stood up just as hastily, his heart pounding loudly. "Mythical creatures who seduce town heads. Smart. Playful. Cunning."

"Am I successful in seducing you, then?" he asked, their faces inches away. He can smell her, roses of the reddest freshest kind. He loved roses. Yui's eyes lost its sparkle and her beautiful face filled with sadness. Without another word, she turned around and walked toward class, leaving him behind, watching her form disappear, still deep in thoughts.

--

_Am I successful in seducing you then?_

Yui blinked and tried her best to focus on the professor's lecture. What was she thinking walking up to him like that? It was like being possessed by another soul yet she was fully aware of what she was doing. There was a part of her who wanted to be like Ritsuko, to just like him and be swept away completely. But there was also a part of her that automatically resisted him. She touched her right earlobe but was disappointed when she realized Nakago's earring was gone. After Shin Jin Ten Chi Sho, the earring became her source of hope, her strength. Whenever she remembered the coldness of her days as Seiryuu no miko, she always remembered his warm strong arms at night. Nakago was the only thing that went right in that world. And he was also its biggest mistake.

The part of her that resisted Shuuichi was the part of her that hoped Nakago would show up in this world the way Tamahome did. Yes, he still lingered in her thoughts, even in Tetsuya's arms she felt the emptiness. The space only a warrior, bonded to her, can fill. It was probably the reason why she couldn't give himself to Tetsuya, why he couldn't, refused to kiss him. Deep inside, she wanted to preserve all his memories. His kiss, his strong arms, the feel of his fingers on her hair.

Shuuichi. He was filling her thoughts lately and it was troubling because they have been in talking terms for only a few days. She was not ready to move on from the book. She will never be ready. Was he successful in seducing her? She hoped he was but the loneliness that filled her after every conversation with him was proof that he was not at all successful in doing so. The guilt she felt, that still lingered painfully in the silence of her room, kept reminding her of what she did and what she kept on atoning for. Somewhere, in another world, another border, there were souls who cursed the Seiryuu no miko and her warriors. And she still harbored their hate, their angers.

The lecture was boring, she already studied those readings beforehand. She opened her e-mail just to think of something beyond the stupidity she did earlier. Her heart palpitated when she saw Shuuichi's name. He had sent her an email. Hesitantly, she opened it and held her breath.

_Yui-chan,_

_I played our earlier conversation over and over again but I can't seem to understand what I said that brought you sadness. Yes, I am a kitsune and I can be unbearable sometimes. Have my teasing been troubling you?_

_Yours,_

_Shuuichi_

The blonde girl blushed at his message and clicked the reply button. Yours. She blinked countless times but the words remained. She shook her head, it was probably his signature. _Yours_. Here's what she wrote:

_Shuuichi-kun,_

_No. I'm sorry I made you feel that way. I don't know what made me say what I said earlier. It was uncalled for and I have no intention of putting you in a very uncomfortable spot. It doesn't trouble me at all that you're a kitsune. As a matter of fact, I like kittens._

_Take care,_

_Yui_

_P.S. As for your question, no. You are making a lousy way at it—and the fault is completely mine._

Yui looked out the window, trying hard not to look like she was waiting for his response. A few minutes later, a new email from him arrived. And it made her cheeks flush.

_I am a kitten?_

She tried to control her laughter. The teacher noticed her and called her. "Houngou-san, do you know the answer to this problem?" She stood up, closing the laptop. Students were given laptops, black for the boys and red for the girls. They use it to take notes during class and sometimes to do projects. But they were never allowed to take it home. The netbooks stay on their seats.

"_Hai_, Tokaki-sensei." She went up to the board and wrote the formula and the answer. Everyone in class gasped and the teacher nodded. She wrote everything very quickly, trying to free her mind of Shuuichi's last question. When she finished, the class was speechless and in awe. It was a hard mathematical problem, something that entailed the use of four formulas that needed to be deviated from hundreds of potential combinations. She spent two days during the winter break to solve it. That was what she had been occupying herself after Tetsuya left her.

Yui went back to her seat and opened her laptop. There was another email from him and she immediately opened it, heart palpitating. She couldn't even look at Shuuichi's direction. How can she after indirectly saying he's a kitten?

_Yui-chan,_

_Great answer. I wasn't able to compute it as concisely as you did. You should tutor me in Calculus sometimes. *wink*_

_Btw, your reaction after reading my last email was priceless. It made me happy, though. I hope to see you at the rooftop for lunch._

_Yours,_

_Shuuichi_

_P.S. I brought extra chopsticks._

The lunch bell rang and the students cheered. Calculus was one of the hardest subjects and it can be draining to study in the morning. The students rushed to get out of the room while some stayed to eat their lunches on their tables. She caught Shuuichi's eyes and he slowly motioned his head toward the door. She froze. Was she ready to talk to him after what happened earlier?

Shuuichi walked out of the room and looked at her one last time before disappearing in the throng of students. She stood up and went outside, but instead of walking to the rooftop, she went to the cafeteria and deliberated what she would bring for him. She seldom bring lunch boxes because she never had the time to wake up early and cook. She bought milk (she just loved milk), apples, and two large pretzels. After paying the tab, she almost ran toward the rooftop but stopped at the top floor. The door lied before her and all that she had to do was turn the knob and she will find him, standing there, waiting. She held into the knob but before she turned it, someone already did and she was surprised when Ritsuko's form appeared before her.

The brunette was surprised to see her and Yui noticed her smudged lipstick. She looked dazed. "Sorry, I thought the rooftop was not occupied," she said but the brunette eyed her, disbelief and anger registering on her beautiful face.

"Liar. You're here to see Shuuichi," she said and Yui frowned. "Are you dating him?" Yui looked at her with disbelief.

"I don't understand what you mean. We are friends."

"Friends?!" Ritsuko breathed out angrily. She pushed her back inside and closed the door. "I'm in love with him. I have always been since we're freshmen. Most of the girls just want him because he's good-looking but I don't. I really love him." Ritsuko stepped closer and whispered very softly in her ear, "He kissed me today." Yui's eyes widened. "And we did...some touching..." Yui caught her breath. Thousands of emotions filled her. The brunette moved away with a victorious look on her eyes. "Hongou, do you like Shuuichi?"

"What?" Yui asked, her heart heavy. She was breaking and she didn't know why.

"Do you like Shuuichi?" she asked. "Tell me, I want to hear it from you." Yui's thoughts clouded. Does she like him? No, she does not. At least not romantically. But why does she feel this way? She was...in pain. "Hongou, do you like him? Or is he just some guy you'd throw afterwards? Like your boyfriend?" Yui stepped back, victory flashed through the brunette's eyes. "You just used him, didn't you? I can see through you, Hongou. You're always acting like a decent silent girl but we're the same." The blonde girl turned to walk away. Ritsuko clutched her arms and pulled her back. "You're in love with someone else but you used...what was his name? Ah, Tetsuya. You used Tetsuya but you love someone else. Desperately love someone else."

"Why are you doing this?" Yui asked, her voice breaking. How can she see through her? Was she losing the wall she made between herself and other people. When did it happen, her being...transparent?

"I love Shuuichi the way you love your guy." Yui's eyes widened. "And I won't let you use Shuuichi the way you used Tetsuya." The door opened and Shuuichi stepped inside, looking at her, worried. "If you don't like him, tell me. _Tell him_."

"Let me go."

"Do you like Shuuichi?" Yui's heart palpitated. There was a deafening silence when their eyes met. Ritsuko pulled her roughly and she winced as her nails dug into her skin. Before she knew what happened, Shuuichi pulled her away from the brunette and held her. The world stopped turning and they stood there, his arms wrapped around her, _comfortably_ around her.

"Ritsuko stop this," he said in a tight tone. The brunette gasped and ran away, leaving her in his arms. A long silence followed as they stayed in the same position. His fingers brushed through her hair and Yui fought with herself whether to hug back or not. She raised her arms to pull him closer but before it reached his back, she pulled them back down.

"She's right. I'm using you." Yui softly pushed him away and left, face wet with tears, with an aching she never knew she was capable of feeling again.

--

Kurama frowned as her footsteps faded. He smelled it, the sadness, the uncertainty, the confusion in her movements. Everything was falling out of place today. He barely made it to class and she started to act like she knew who he was, _youko_ and all. Then there was Ritsuko's confession in the rooftop and Yui's admission. She was using him. Kurama didn't know what to feel, nor can he define what he was currently feeling. And it was definitely not the same one he felt last night.

The redhead leaned on the wall of the rooftop, barely opening his _bento_ box, which he cooked to share with her. He also brought extra chopsticks so she won't give him that surprised look, though he does not mind sharing. He sighed and started to eat, looking up at the grayish sky. He embraced her earlier. He held her close. He ran his fingers through her hair. He felt the beatings of her heart on his chest. Holding her earlier was the closest he got, and he doubt if she'll want him to come closer again.

She was broken.

Kurama felt it, not just in the way she trembled and fought with herself and cry, but in the brief moment they came close, she felt the brokenness she was trying to hide. She was like a fragile thing on his arms. And then there was the feeling that overwhelmed him, the silence that filled them which was not brought by comfort. There was something right about their momentary closeness and they both knew that. But still, she chose to run away and admit Ritsuko's accusations. If she stayed longer, he would have brought his lips down on hers and...

What? He blinked at the thought, slightly choking. Kiss? _He kissed me today...and we did some touching..._ Ritsuko's voice appeared in his thoughts and he frowned. Those were the words she whispered to Yui and the blonde stood there speechless. It was not true, partly. She kissed him after confessing she liked him. But he pulled away immediately and they _never_ touched, whatever her definition of touch was. He could not imagine himself touching a girl like Ritsuko. But it did take him awhile before he could react. Not one of the girls in Meiou confessed to him face to face. They wrote letters, yes, but they never went up to him and kissed him. He found her actions too demanding, too pushy. Pushy. His eyes widened when he realized it was the same word Yui used to describe the men who used to woo her. Kurama realized he hated the word too. It's not easy to turn down a girl when she started to cry in front of you, begging desperately for you to take her. Now he was beginning to hate her, or at least feel annoyed.

"What's that on your lips?" Hiei asked, smirking. He suddenly showed up in the rooftop and Kurama was not sure he liked the company.

"A girl kissed me earlier." The black-haired _youkai_ smirked. "It's not Yui," he said, slightly annoyed.

"Where's she?" he was pertaining to blonde girl but he didn't feel like answering. He closed his eyes and continued eating. He suddenly remembered the weirdness of the morning walk and what Yui told her. Kurama felt like sharing it with Hiei just to get it off his chest. Truth be told, what she said troubled him. It was an indirect affirmation of his earlier theories about her being_normal_.

"She knew I'm a _kitsune_."

"But not as a _youkai_," Hiei said matter-of-factly.

"But how long more before she recognized what I am?"

"What are you afraid of?" Hiei asked smugly and Kurama didn't say anything. What was he afraid of? That she'll run away like she did today if she found out who he was? "If what she knows threaten you, you should not get too close. You're a demon, you should know that."

The air was humid and Kurama knew it would rain before the day ended. Hiei was right. He will be extra wary when it comes to her. She was a dangerous girl, and she was barely doing anything now. But still, there was a part of him that wanted to do otherwise. A part that wanted to pull her close like what happened earlier. A part that wanted to know the remaining 90% she was hiding. Ritsuko stroke a nerve when she mentioned a Tetsuya and another guy Yui loved so much. Who were these people? The more he ran through the conversation between the girls, the more he knew it was impossible for him to not come _too_ close. As a matter of fact, he _wanted_ to come _close_.

"Or you could break her first. I prefer that option," his black-haired demon friend suggested and he opened his eyes to eye him. Break a girl? It was unlike Hiei to suggest such a thing.

"Break her?"

"Know what she's hiding. Know her weakness. What happened to your brain, Kurama?" Hiei teased and Kurama laughed for the first after the incident. He was right. It was time to pique his curiosity. He will find out her secrets, her weaknesses. And he will not do it because of some emotion, he will do it because he wanted to protect himself.

"Yes, your weaknesses are Yukina and Muruko," Kurama pointed out to get back at him. Hiei made a face.

"And yours are your mother and _that_ girl." Shuuichi eyed him sharply. "Admit it, she has numerous effects on you. She's your biggest weakness." He smirked. "What will you do if she finds out you're a _youkai_?"

"I don't know." Kurama shook her head. What else could he do? Kill her? He jumped at the thought, can he really allow his whip to brush through her skin? To let blood drip from her torn flesh? The hurt look on her face when Ritsuko grabbed her arm was the reason he stood between them. For the life of him, he could not hurt her. He would never dare. His partner smirked, reading the expression on his face, and in a flick of an eye, was completely gone.

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**_A/N:_**_Yes, finally some action! Hope you like this chappie! Do drop reviews!_


	6. Chapter Five

_Yes, I updated again because the tempo of this fic is too slow for me. But I'm afraid that if I hurry, the characters will be OOC. :(_

**_Michi:_**_I've been wondering how they would react. I'm still in the process of deciding how they should know each other's pasts. I'm really excited for this fic but the pacing is too slow. :( Must do something to hurry it up a bit. :) Thanks for reading and reviewing!_

**_Disclaimer:_**_FY and YYH are not mine._

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**Chapter Five**

By Slavedriver2008

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Yui stepped out of the bathtub and dried her hair. The waters were not enough to stop the flow of thoughts that kept on appearing in her head. It's been a few days after Shuuichi embraced her and she can still feel the movement of his fingers on her hair. She placed the blower down and sighed. She shouldn't be thinking of him, it was an accident, something they both didn't want to happen. She shook her head and looked at her reflection in the mirror.

"Get a grip of yourself Yui." She unconsciously fingered the tips of her hair, imagining his hands brushing through it. It's been so long since she allowed someone to be close to her. In the two years she and Tetsuya were together, he would always wrap his arms around her but they never did anything beyond friendly embraces. It was crazy, yes. But she never found intimacy appropriate in their relationship. It was the reason why they broke up—she lacked warmth. She had always been afraid to touch people. Always afraid to get too close. And Shuuichi found it out that day, he found out her weakness.

She turned on the blower and continued to dry her hair, still deep in thoughts. It was a Saturday and she was supposed to see Miaka and Taka. The two were finally tying the knot and she was still nursing a broken heart. No, not just a broken heart but a broken self as well. She can never go back to being the old Yui. It had faded and gone, staying only in her memories. Shin Jin Ten Chi Sho made Miaka the person she was now, a better more pleasant person. On her part, it broke her. It ruined the part of her that knew how to trust and hope and express love.

After her hair dried, she walked over to her closet and put on a white tube top, skinny jeans, and a very thin long purple overcoat with buttons at the sleeves. The overcoat hung loosely beyond her thighs. She wore white gladiator heeled sandals and put on a white headband. She looked at her reflection and decided to curl her hair in big waves, just to look different. Yui wanted to look like she was satisfied with her life, not a hurting single high school girl. She might not have a boyfriend but that doesn't mean she can't go out and look for one. After a few minutes, she was all dressed up, ready to face the perfect couple.

Yui went out an hour early. She intended to visit the second-hand bookstore and see what new books have arrived. It was the same bookstore where she sold her books two years ago and the owner literally drooled at her collection. She couldn't buy new ones, unless from where she works because she gets discounts. Being poor have its consequences. She walked into the bookstore and the woman at the counter greeted her.

"I haven't seen you for a long time. Finances not so tight this week?" She nodded briefly, flashing a tiny smile. They only knew each other by face but not by name. She had always been like that with people. "We have new books you'll like at the fiction section. Help yourself."

Yui walked over to the back of the store. She has no specific title in mind but she continued to browse through the titles anyway. She accidentally bumped to another customer and her eyes widened when she recognized him. Shuuichi looked surprised to see her.

"Yui…?" he called her very softly. She smiled and walked over to the other side of the shelf, pretending to read through the book titles, her heart hammering hard. She tried to look calm and uncaring even though she knew he followed her with his beautiful green eyes. They have not talked to each other after the incident in the rooftop, even though they were academic partners, as what he liked to call them. "What title are you looking for?" he asked and she jumped at his nearness.

Their eyes met and she looked away immediately, turning her attention on the books. She struggled to think of an author and a book title. "Pamuk," she whispered, trying not to sound nervous.

"Snow?" he asked and she nodded absentmindedly, still focusing her attention on the hundred books before her. "Ah, found it." He laughed lightly and his fingers pulled out a white softbound book right in front of her. He handed her the book and she took it immediately.

"Right, thanks." She turned around and winced. She was found out. Her cheeks burned and she struggled to get as far away from him as possible. There was no way she'll admit being weak again. She was through with that stage. She's stronger now. Right?

"Maybe you can recommend a good book," he said and she stopped walking. Slowly, hesitantly, she turned to him. He smiled at her warmly.

"I haven't been reading lately." She clutched the book on her chest, hoping it would stop her heart from giving her a heart attack. Shuuichi walked toward her, unsure on what to say.

"Well, maybe you have a book in mind. Except for Snow, you already have it," he said, trying to make the mood lighter and she looked back at him intently. It was disappointing how one incident can ruin the closeness they had, the same way one mistake ruined her relationship with Tetsuya. Closeness? Yes, they were close a few days ago and they both knew it. Silence filled them as they looked at each other. She missed his company.

"Never let me go…" she whispered and Shuuichi looked at her, more intently, hoping he heard the words right.

"Yui?"

Yui pulled out one thin book from the left shelf and handed it to him. "Kazuo Ishiguro. He's my favorite writer. You might like him too." Shuuichi took it and smiled, shaking his head. "There's some dog-ear in pages 6 and 173 but it's in perfect condition."

"How did you know?" He looked up and she smiled forcedly.

"It belonged to me—three years ago," she said nonchalantly and turned toward the paying counter. She was about to hand it down when he took the white book from her hands and placed the two books on the counter. "Shuuichi—"

"I'm getting these," he said, pulling out a crumpled yen from his pocket. The woman smiled at him and wrapped the books in brown paper. After the payment, he took her hand and ushered her out of the bookstore.

"Shuuichi, what are you doing?" He didn't say anything and continued to pull her, holding her hand very tightly. She unconsciously blushed at the contact. He never held her this tight before. _Never let me go… _They turned to an unpopulated alley and he turned, smiling. He took out Snow and handed it to her.

"Peace?" Yui looked back, bemused. And then it dawned on her what he meant. "I'm sorry about what happened. I hope we could be friends again."

Yui stood shock and then a light feeling filled her. She laughed. He looked down with fascination and she immediately covered her mouth. "You're acting like a kid. I should be saying sorry." Shuuichi's smile widened and her insides fluttered. She took the book and smiled widely, blue eyes beaming. "Forgiven, if you'll forgive me too."

"Of course I will." The bishounen sighed, relieved. "Are you free for coffee?" he asked and she shook her head.

"I'm meeting someone," she said briefly, not missing the frown that spread over his face after she turned him down. For awhile, she didn't know what to say, so she looked down as if finding something very interesting on the ground beneath her feet.

"Date?" he asked and she shook her head.

"I'm meeting an old friend, the one I told you about. She studies in Yotsubadai." Shuuichi nodded. "We've been friends since kindergarten."

"I see…that's a relief." Yui looked up to him, blushing, when arms wrapped around her neck. She almost lost balance.

"YUI!" A familiar female voice rang in the air and Yui frowned. "Oh my, it is you!" Miaka jumped and embraced so tight all air left her lungs. The brunette then turned her attention on Shuuichi. "Hi, are you Yui's new boyfriend? I'm Yuuki Miaka and that guy is my boyfriend, Sukunami Taka." She motioned toward Taka, who was parking the car. She offered her a handshake and he took it.

"Miaka—"

"It's nice to meet you, Yuuki-san. I'm Minamino Shuuichi," he said, smiling warmly. Miaka blushed and laughed.

"You're so good-looking! I always knew Yui had very good taste in men!" Miaka squealed like a high school girl. Oh yeah, she _is_ a high school girl. "How long have you been together?" Yui hit her friend's head and Miaka yelped in pain. "Ow!"

"Shuuichi is not my boyfriend, you _baka_." Shuuichi laughed and Miaka looked confused.

"Really? But you look like a couple! I told you to bring a boyfriend, Yui-chan but I guess a future boyfriend will do," Miaka winked and Yui's eyes widened. Shuuichi laughed louder, and the blonde's face went beet red.

"It's nice to see you again, Yui," Taka appeared and planted a quick kiss on her forehead. "Hey, you're looking good." Taka turned his attention on the redhead. "You must be our little girl's new knight in shining armor. Hi, I'm Taka," the two shook hands and Yui hit the older guy in the head. "Ow! Hongou!"

"Again, Shuuichi is not my boyfriend—" Taka rolled his eyes.

"Whatever, Hongou. You always go for long-haired guys, ne!" Yui screamed and hit him continuously with the book, her face flushed. Shuuichi just looked at them, amused. "Be careful of this girl, she's a _bishounen_ killer."

"TAKA! That is not true!" Yui felt humiliated. Seeing the two in Shuuichi's company was not how she imagined the Saturday meeting. He was not supposed to be in the scene.

"WAIT! LET'S EAT NOW! I'M STARVING!" Miaka screamed.

"Fine! Let's go!" she screamed back and frowned at them. "But where do we eat?"

"We saw a newly-opened restaurant in that side," Miaka pointed to another street. "They're having an opening special bonus. Couples who came in will get a free chocolate cake!" Miaka said excitedly. "We can get two cakes if we go now!"

Yui made a face. "That doesn't sound too enticing, Mi-chan. Let's just eat somewhere else."

"Yui! If you don't like the cake, which I know you don't, you can always give it to me, you're my bestest friend." Yui frowned more. "And besides, we're visiting you, so be a good host, ne! What do you think, Taka?"

"Anything for my love," Yui winced. Was she supposed to be envious of them? She wanted to puke at their sweetness.

The blonde girl rolled her eyes. "Fine! Let's go there now before the ants eat us up," Miaka held out her tongue.

"Bitter," the brunette teased. Shuuichi chuckled beside her as she frowned at her best friend. Miaka happily clung to Taka's arms and they walked toward the place. Yui watched them, slightly disgusted at their show of affection.

"You don't have to do this, Shuuichi. My friends can be quite humiliating in public," she told him and he just smiled to reassure her.

"It's okay with me, though if you really don't want me to go…"

"No! Don't get the wrong idea. I really want you to come…" Yui told him, blushing slightly. She focused her attention on the button of his shirt. He was wearing a light green collared shirt and a cardigan jacket. He looked very refreshing and pleasant. Before she could look through his outfit for the day, Shuuchi offered his hand and she looked at it quizzically.

"Wanna run after them?" he smiled but Yui kept quiet. He was trying to be close to her but he doesn't want to cross the line. He will only come close if she let him, and somehow, his gesture comforted her. She smiled widely and took his hand. He slowly laced their hands together and a pleasant jolt ran through her body. Their palms met and a light wonderful feeling enveloped her. It felt nice, she thought. She had almost forgotten what it felt like to hold someone's hand. "Let's go?"

Yui nodded and he gently pulled her. They walked slowly toward the coffee shop, as if no one waiting for them. He was holding her differently this time, not too tight, not too light. Just enough to give her space and to make her feel he was there, holding her. Yui knew that if she pulled her hand away, he would let her go, but she knew that even if she had the chance, she wouldn't break the hold.

Yui's face felt warm when they arrived at the place. It was a quaint little restaurant with delicious-looking sweets on the counter. They walked toward the door and the staff looked at them, smiling. He immediately ushered them in and they walked toward the table where Miaka and Taka sat beside each other. They both took their seats across them and the couple looked at them smugly.

"Not boyfriend, huh," Taka teased and Yui's cheeks burned again. As much as she doesn't want to, she let go of Shuuichi's hand and frowned at the couple. The waiter arrived and gave them each a menu. After going through the menu again, she realized it was a bit pricy and pork-oriented. "Order anything you want, tab's on me," Taka exclaimed and Yui blinked at him. "Yes Yui, you can order fish since you're not much of a pork-eater."

"_Hai! Domo arigatou gozaimasu_, Taka!" Yui said and she ordered fish fillet mignon. After she did so, Taka smirked at her.

"I can't believe you ordered the most expensive ala carte," Taka pointed out. She flushed, making the others laugh. "Cook for us next time, Yui-chan. I miss the _takenoko gohan_ you cook for us during spring."

"I agree! And you don't cook lunch anymore for school, what a shame. But that aside, why aren't you working today?" Miaka asked and she told them about the coffee shop and the library owner's Caribbean getaway. "I see, that means you can visit your grandparents in Kyoto. You always look forward to _hanami_."

"I don't know. The fare is too steep," Yui said. "Besides, if I go, they'll ask me to live with them. I won't like that."

"But still, it's good to visit once in a while," Taka said. "Who knows you might find a new boyfriend in Kyoto—with Shuuichi's permission of course." Yui made a face. "Wait, isn't that—" Miaka hit him in the head but it was too late. Yui had turned around and saw Tetsuya walking into the coffee shop holding the hand of a girl. Yui instinctively looked away before her former boyfriend caught her eye. Shuuichi cleared his throat and she looked up to him. He looked agitated and she forced a smile.

"Taka!" Tetsuya called and Taka cursed a little too loudly. Yui closed her eyes and reopened them quickly, counting 1 to 10 in her head. She needed to stay calm. She clutched her hands, she was trembling. Seeing Tetsuya with the same girl he cheated her with was not the scenario she played in her head of this Saturday meeting. Everything was not going to how it should be. "Taka, my man. What brought you—"

Yui raised her head toward him and he stopped speaking. "It's nice to see you Tetsuya," she said calmly. The girl sank bank behind him and Yui was about to address her when Shuuichi spoke.

"Maya?"

"Shuuchi…" The girl looked from the redhead to her and smiled tentatively. "This is my boyfriend, Tetsuya. Tetsuya, this is my childhood friend, Shuuichi." The two shook hands and Tetsuya introduced everyone to her new girl.

"We should be going now. We just passed by." The couple bowed down and turned away from them. Yui heaved a sigh when they were gone.

"How long have they been together?" Taka asked, trying to not sound too snoopy. Miaka hit him again. "I just want to know!"

"Three months, probably more," the blonde answered casually.

"And how long have you been…you know…" Taka made some gesture with his hands and Yui laughed. Taka was such a funny animated guy. "If you don't mind me asking…"

"TAKA!" Miaka gasped, glaring at her boyfriend.

"Three months." Silence filled the table and Yui knew they were waiting for her to say more. "Look, food's here. Great, I'm starved." The waiter placed the food on the table and silence filled them as the waiter left. "I'm okay," she said confidently. "Really, I am. I'm able to cut my hair in the length I want, I'm not obliged to update someone what's happening in my everyday life, I get to spend more time for myself. I am finer than fine. Look at me, do I look like I'm not okay?"

The couple nodded but they were not convinced. "Well, you do look good. And I mean it, Yui." Taka smiled and she smiled back. "But if you need anything, we're just a phone call and a bullet train away."

"You don't have to worry about me. Shuuichi's here."

"Right," the couple said in unison. "So how did you two meet?" Taka asked. Miaka smiled broadly.

"We're classmates," Shuuichi answered. "And academic partners."

"Academic partners?" Miaka asked.

"The school paired us with each other for the whole three terms so we're spending time studying until the end of the year," Yui explained.

"Oooohhh, like a private tutor," Miaka teased and Yui flushed again, remembering when they were in junior high and Miaka had a tutor. Yui was crushing on him and she actually pretended to be dumb just to study with them. "Do you remember—"

Yui kicked her under the table. "Yes Miaka, but they don't want to know that." She laughed hesitantly. "So what are you supposed to tell me?" It was Miaka's turn to kick her under the table. She winced.

Taka leaned forward and looked at them seriously. "Yui, Shuuichi. We're getting married." Silence filled the table and Yui closed her eyes, trying hard to avoid herself from laughing. But it was futile, she laughed, really laughed out loud.

"I'm sorry—I'm…Wow, congratulations!" Yui exclaimed, making Shuuichi chuckle beside her.

"Miaka already told you, hasn't she?" Taka asked and she bit a finger, smiling. Miaka glared at her best friend and Yui looked back apologetically.

"Anyway, leave June 1st open." Miaka said, slightly red. "You're one of my bridesmaids. You're invited to the wedding too Shuuichi. I'm assuming you two are already a couple by then." Yui choked on her drink and Miaka laugh cruelly.

"So, how about you? When are you two getting married?" Taka asked.

"WHAT?"

Taka laughed. "I mean separately but together's still an option, right Shuuichi?" The redhead smiled, nodding.

"I haven't really thought of getting married but Yui…now that's a good face to see behind the veil," Yui hit him in the arms and he turned to her, smiling. Her face was literally burning. Miaka squealed. Yui focused on the food, trying hard not to react.

"How about you, Yui? When are you getting married?" Miaka asked, she was leaning on the table across her.

"No idea," she replied nonchalantly. "I mean, I'm happy being single. You know, not being dependent on anyone. It might take awhile before I think of settling down." Yui looked out the window. "Do your parents know you're getting married?"

Miaka laughed sheepishly. "Only Keisuke knows…" Yui looked at them with disbelief. "But we're working on it." Yui rolled her eyes. Knowing Miaka, she will only tell them at the last minute, maybe a day before the wedding.

The lunch went on in its light cheery mood, there were instances when Yui did feel envious of them. She wanted Miaka's life. She wanted what she had, the little touches exchanged with Taka, the knowing stares, the smiles. Miaka was right, she should have brought a boyfriend.

Shuuichi touched her hand under the table and she turned her attention to him. He leaned down to whisper something on her ear. "What's eating you?"

"Nothing," she whispered back. Shuuichi looked at her straight, unconvinced. "I was thinking…" she laced their hands together and she felt warm all over. "Would you like to come over to my place afterwards?" Shuuichi looked at her intently. "So we could talk about the studying stuff."

The redhead smiled, his green eyes probed into hers. "I was thinking of the same thing. There's something else I want to say…" He leaned toward her and Yui blushed at the closeness. He moved his nose over her ear, his breath warm on her skin. "You are _very_ beautiful today. Now I'm really thinking about that love letter…"

Yui's world stopped turning and she felt like every part of her body was burning, every organ, every vein, every blood, throbbed with pleasant warmth. For the first time in the three years she knew Shuuichi, Yui looked forward to being alone with him.

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**_A/N: _**_Thanks for reading! Hope you like this, please do leave reviews!_


	7. Chapter Six

**_Disclaimer:_**_ FY and YYH are not mine. :)_

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**Chapter Six**

By Slavedriver2008

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Yui's mood changed after Taka handed her the little white paper. Kurama noticed the way she placed her hand on her jeans pocket from time to time, checking if the paper was still there. He would have teased her about it, but she looked too sensitive for some bantering. She was deep in thoughts as they walked toward her place, as if debating in her head. Kurama realized after awhile that there was no use watching her and hoping she would share the contents of the paper with him. He laced his hand on hers and she turned, surprised. Warmth filled him at the contact and he smiled.

"What's on your mind?" he asked, trying hard to hide his eagerness about the paper.

"Nothing…I'm sorry I'm floating…" she said softly.

"What did Taka give you?" he asked carefully. The blonde girl's eyes widened and she moved away from him, letting go of his hand. Kurama was tempted to hold her hand tighter but decided it was better to let her go. She would not trust him if he becomes aggressive. She crossed her hands behind her and looked down at the pavement.

"Contact numbers…of an old friend," she whispered, sighing. "I don't know if I should contact him…"

"Former friend?" Kurama smiled. "Sounds like an old boyfriend to me," he teased and Yui stopped walking. When he turned, Kurama realized he hit a nerve; she looked like a hurt little kitten. "I'm just kidding."

"He's not my boyfriend, okay," Yui said, annoyed. "You're starting to sound like Taka and Miaka." She walked ahead and he followed like a persistent puppy. "Why are you all eager to tease me about boyfriends today?"

"Yui…calm down," he reached for her arms and turned her around. He cupped her face and caressed her cheek, very gently. The girl breathed out and he smiled. "You can tell me about it if you can't take it anymore. I'm your friend."

The girl looked at him intently, weighing his words. After a long silence, she looked at him intently. "Am I ugly?" Kurama's brows creased, confused. And then he laughed. Yui frowned and turned away. "Thank you. At least you were honest."

She walked away, hurt registering in her face. It took Kurama a moment before he realized that she had misunderstood his reaction. He walked up to her but she ran away. "Yui…hey…Yui, slow down!" She ran toward her apartment and he followed, trying to run normally. She was already at the door when he reached her. "Weren't you listening to what I whispered earlier? I said you are very beautiful." She briefly stopped struggling with the keys and sighed. "Wow, you run quite fast. You should be in the track and field team."

The blonde girl turned the knob and went inside, leaving the door open for him. "Make yourself at home."

Kurama stepped inside and was briefly disappointed with the interiors of her place. It was barren, save for some basic necessities. There's a television and a sofa in the living room. The walls were light blue and the only ornament was a wall clock. Yui opened the windows and light entered lavishly. She turned on the ceiling fan and Kurama watched as she walked toward the inner part of the house. A big bookshelf separates the kitchen but it was not filled with books but with some artifacts or stray pieces of paper. There were two bedrooms and none marked which one was hers. It was a plain cold house with very little things. There weren't even curtains and carpets to make the place warmer. For a while, Shuuichi thought it belonged to a man.

The redhead placed his bag on the sofa and looked out the window. The view of houses' roofs and electricity lines greeted him. He noticed a flowerbed on the window sill but it was full of weeds and showed no signs of having been used for its original purpose. Yui came back from the kitchen with two cartons of milk.

"I don't have anything else to offer. Milk?" she asked and he nodded. "I'm sorry I don't have much."

"Your place looks decent enough." She creased her eyebrows, shaking her head.

"You're too kind Shuuichi, my place looks like a trash can. There's not much here. Now you know why I can't invite Taka and Miaka over."

"It just needs…a little color." Shuuichi walked forward and took the carton of milk. "The windows look bare, you should plant some flowers."

"I don't have a green thumb." Yui walked over to the sill, scrutinizing the flowerbeds. Kurama leaned on the other side of the small window, looking at her. "I've always wanted a garden. In our old house in Bunkyo, we have a garden but we have to move here so I have to settle with flowerbeds. But even then, I'm never successful in growing plants."

"I can help you if you like…I'm quite good with flowers." Yui laughed slightly. Kurama opened his carton and drank from it, not taking his attention from her beautiful face. Big blonde curls framed her face and she looked like an angel. He wondered how she can be so insecure of her looks. Indeed, it was a face he'd like to see behind a veil. "What made you think you're ugly?" The girl turned, a smile no longer graced her face. Had he said the wrong word again?

"Maya is a pretty girl." Yui looked out into the Tokyo sky. "Tetsuya seemed to like her a lot."

"She's a very sweet girl," Kurama said softly, not knowing if he should continue. "She used to always bring me lunch in junior high. She doesn't cook too well but she always makes the mood light and happy."

"You two dated?" Yui asked and he shook his head.

"He's like a sister to me, though there was a time when she told me she liked me more than a brother or a friend." Yui smiled. "But she's a very nice girl to have around. Very caring, very warm."

"I'm glad Tetsuya's with a nice pleasant girl."

"How long have you been together?" he asked but she didn't answer. He hated it when she suddenly stops talking. Her silence always made him uneasy, it made him think like he said the wrong words again. No wonder their classmates seldom talked to her, she was a hard nut to crack.

"Two years. We've been together for two years after junior high. But we broke up a few months ago. I guess I'm not a very good girlfriend. I seem to always know how to push people away, unconsciously of course." She said everything very slowly. There was a hint of sadness in her voice but he chose to not dwell on it.

"Maybe you're not half as bad as you think you are," he said softly.

"That's too early for you to say, Shuuichi. We barely know each other." Kurama smiled and she walked toward the couch, placing the unopened carton of milk down on the floor. There was no table in the living room and the absence made the place bigger and barer. Kurama sat down beside her.

"You, Miaka, and Taka seemed really close. If you're successful in pushing people away, as what you said, they wouldn't visit you or worse, they wouldn't call." He leaned on the couch and sighed. An awkward silence filled them again.

"I'm jealous of her." Yui said out of the blue and Kurama turned toward her. "Miaka never did anything right in the past. She's childish, eats too much, gets low grades, can't even get into the best schools, her cooking taste awful. But she gets the love of her life and the admiration of thousands of people. Everything's going right for her."

Kurama wrapped his arms around her and Yui leaned down to him hesitantly. "You shouldn't compare yourself to other people. If you do that, you're always bound to get disappointed."

Silence filled them and Kurama realized the same feeling that enveloped them when he embraced her a few days ago had emanated again. He gently brushed her hair and leaned on the sofa, her body completely inclining to him. It was a pleasant weight and he never thought she would trust him this easily. He brushed his nose on the top of her head, liking the smell of her hair and the warmth of their bodies. Kurama can hear the fast beating of her heart, which surprisingly reflected his own. Her breath was warm and contented. Yes, they were at peace.

Yui lined the button of his shirt and Kurama let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. The girl sensed his uneasiness and moved away. Disappointment filled him and Kurama realized he should have reacted in a different way. But then, Yui was a very unpredictable girl. He can never be certain on how she would respond.

"Nice shirt," Yui noted softly. "Green suits you." She stood up and walked toward the kitchen. "You're staying for dinner?"

"Yes, if you'll cook for me." Kurama stood up and boldly followed her. The kitchen has more furniture and equipment than the rest of the house. It then occurred to him that Yui was probably more interested in staying there than in the living room.

"What do you want to eat?" She opened the refrigerator and checked what was inside. Kurama walked toward the window, noticing the little jars filled with different colored water. The light passed through it, creating beautiful quaint reflections on the while table. He was right, Yui was not as bad as she claimed. Somewhere inside her was a wonderful woman. And he wanted to see that woman someday.

"_Takenoko gohan_?" he asked, looking at her reaction from the sides of his eyes. Yui looked up. "Taka said you make really good ones. Can I try it tonight?"

Yui smiled back, her blue eyes beaming. "Of course."

--

"What's on your mind, Shuuichi?" Kurama blinked and Shiori's smiling face greeted him. It was another school day and he was having breakfast. The woman placed a plate of omelet and French toast before him and he started to eat. But he was not hungry.

"Do you cook _takenoko gohan_, Mama?"

"I used to cook one for your father when he was still alive. He loved bamboo shoots during the spring. But it's a Japanese food that needs keen attention and skill." Shiori smiled from across the table, watching her son eat. "Why did you ask?"

"Yui makes really good ones. And I realized I wanted to eat it again." He sighed and finished his plate, not wanting to disappoint Shiori.

The woman laughed briefly. "Does she cook better than me?" Kurama blinked at her, unsure whether to answer her question or not. She laughed at his reaction and leaned back on the chair. "Are you two finally dating?"

"No," Kurama answered quickly. "We were talking about our subjects last Saturday and Yui cooked it for dinner."

"Your father said the car passed around downtown last Saturday and he saw you," Shiori said with a wide smile on her lips. "He was about to stop the car but he found out you were walking with a girl—and you were holding hands." Kurama almost choked on his drink. "You could imagine the surprise on his face. He kept on asking about Yui, said she looked somewhat familiar."

"She's not my girlfriend, Mama. We're only academic partners. So many things happened last Saturday, I can't remember much." Kurama clarified and stood up from the table, taking his bag.

"But you remembered the _takenoko gohan_, Shuuichi," Shiori teased. "You've been thinking about it since yesterday. If you like it so much, just ask her to cook another one for you. I'm sure Yui wouldn't mind."

"I'll go ahead, Mama. I don't want to be late for school." Kurama kissed Shiori's cheek and left the woman alone in the kitchen. Kokoda has no classes today so he was still sleeping.

_Takenoko gohan_ was not the only thing Shuuichi remembered from the Saturday _date_. It was not an official one but it seemed to fall into such category. Kurama repeated the scenes over in his head and a smiled crept over his face. Yui had just confided an insecurity: She admitted being envious of her bestfriend. He never thought someone smart and pretty would be insecure of a, well, an average-looking girl. But then, Miaka was warm and caring. Boys tend to go for girls who were warmer and more approachable. Sadly, she eclipsed Yui in that part.

There were so many things Kurama wanted to know about her but the more he probed, the more complicated she becomes. There were instances when she becomes too absorbed in her thoughts that she becomes another person. She might have done horrible things in her past but then, how worse was it that she needed to be very penitent? She was moving in the world with an invisible cross on her shoulders and she was acting like she will not be saved. Saved from what? Who? Why?

Kurama shook his head and headed off to class. He would not know her better if he kept on threading carefully. He was one of the few people she trusted, he should take advantage of his position. He put his white shoes and walked toward the classroom with renewed vigor. Yes, he will ask her more about herself today. For all he know, her past might be her biggest weakness.

--

Yui stretched her arms upward and Shuuichi laughed slightly behind her. She turned, smiling. They just finished a generous lunch at the rooftop. They both brought _bento_ boxes and she was very happy he liked what she cooked this morning. It was the first time she brought lunch to school and she was pleased he ate all of it.

"I've finished the book," Shuuichi said softly and Yui raised an eyebrow.

"That fast?" she sat back beside him on the deck. "It took me two weeks to finish that book. Couldn't get over some pages…"

"It's a nice little book. Disappointing I only got to read it now." Shuuichi turned and looked intently. "If you were Ruth, would you do things to keep your best friend from being with the man she loves the most and one who loves her?"

Yui's skin prickled and her heart palpitated. She turned to him, slightly angry. "What?"

"Tommy belongs with Kathy but Ruth went between them so they were only able to be together a few months before he died. I'm just curious." Shuuichi asked casually, unaware that he evoked so many emotions within her.

"I hate Ruth. She's such a know-it-all. So selfish and self-serving." Yui looked away and wrapped her arms around her leg. "But I hate Kathy and Tommy too. Why can't they admit what they feel earlier on? Why do they have to wait for so long?"

Shuuichi didn't say anything, probably realizing he had asked such a sensitive question. "All of us are like them, in one point or another," he said softly.

"I did it," Yui whispered, forehead on her knees. "I tried to steal him. I… You can never imagine what I did. I was…horrible." Tears flowed from her cheeks and she tried to stop herself from crying. Up to now, she cannot avoid being dramatic whenever she looks back on Shin Jin Ten Chi Sho. Stealing Tamahome was only the start, there were more things she had done or let Nakago did that pained her to this day.

Shuuichi wrapped his arms around her crouched form and rested his head on hers. "I'm sorry…" he whispered. "Yui…I'm sorry."

"Turn around," she commanded.

"Yui?"

"Turn around, Shuuichi. Please." Shuuichi turned around and was surprised when she wrapped arms around his waist and placed her forehead on his back. Tears flowed from her cheeks but she could not bear letting him see her. The readhead laced his fingers on hers and pulled her tight. "I'm not crying," she sobbed, her voice breaking. "I'm just…sad."

Shuuichi smiled. "I know." He closed his eyes and listened, holding her, not showing signs of wanting to let go. It took a few minutes before she leaned on his back completely, savoring the comfort of his presence. Crying with Shuuichi was like pulling out a thorn from her heart. Somehow, the act calmed her. "Can I turn around now?"

Yui laughed briefly. "I'm sorry I…" Shuuichi turned to her, concern evident in his green eyes. He placed a finger on her lips and shook his head. He understood. He thumbed the remaining tears on her face and planted a kiss on her forehead. Yui felt warm all over.

Ever so softly, Shuuichi leaned down and planted kisses on her cheeks, at the spots where her tears landed. Yui looked down, blushing intently as he looked at her, their faces inches away.

"Are you feeling better now?" She nodded, head still downcast. "My back's always free if you need it, though my chest is a better option." Yui flushed more. He placed his fingers on her chin and lifted her face. Yui's eyes widened when their eyes met. "It's over now. Smile for me?"

Yui hesitantly smiled and he caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. "Thank you." He smiled and looked at her intently. "Why?"

"I'm happy," he said. "Because you trust me." He laughed slightly. "You still look pretty after crying."

Yui frowned. "I did not cry. I was just—" Shuuichi laughed loudly and the blonde girl blushed, looking away.

"We're just like Tommy and Kathy," he commented and Yui went beet red. Tommy and Kathy were lovers in the book. They were friends but not lovers. But somehow, the thought warmed her. "I just hope we don't end up like them. It would be sad to make love to someone knowing everything is too late."

"You're talking nonsense."

"Am I?" Shuuichi asked and Yui didn't have to turn to know he was watching her every movement. "Yui…if you realize you're in love with someone, would you tell me?"

Yui rolled her eyes. "I'll try."

"You can do better than that," Shuuichi teased.

"Fine. But only if you'll tell me when you've found a girlfriend." Yui didn't know why he suddenly wanted to know about her love life but it was fine with her as long as she knows about his. "Why are we updating each other on this aspect of our lives?"

Shuuichi chuckled. "So we can tell each other if we're going overboard. Sometimes, all we need is somebody to tell us we're wrong. If we were friends then, you won't 'try to steal' Taka from Miaka," he said matter-of-factly and Yui laughed at the normalcy in the way he addressed that incident.

She nodded. Maybe Shuuichi was right, what happened between her and Miaka and Tamahome was no longer worthy of tears and all those drama. Yui looked at his handsome face and smiled warmly, a thought lingering in her head. If she knew him then, he wouldn't have fallen for Tamahome in the first place. She flushed at the thought and looked away.

No, she can't be falling for him…right?

* * *

**_A/N:_**_Thanks for reading! I will update soon. :D_


	8. Chapter Seven

_I'm frequently updating this fic because I'm liking the storyline, not much drama, not much action—something that can happen in typical high school life. Except for the demon-miko thing. Anyway, I finally know how to end this fic and I'm glad to say that this is the first one among my fic that will have two parts: one in high school and another one years after. Will this fic end happily? Let's see. :)_

**_Michi:_**_Guess what, I am finishing Serendipity and adding a new Yui-Hotohori mature fic. As a matter of fact, the first chapter is already in my Documents page, just have to publish it. As you noticed, I'm prioritizing The Pretend Boyfriend and it's quite hard to write two chapters of two different pairings at the same time. As you know, Hotohori is with Houki in TPB and not with Yui so its hard to imagine them making-out in another chapter. As for whether Kurama is making Yui fall for him…well, I think at some he is trying to catch and keep her attention. :D_

**_Disclaimer:_**_FY and YYH are not mine._

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

By Slavedriver2008

* * *

A sigh left Kurama after he opened his shoes locker. Love letters spilled out again and he picked it up one by one, placing them inside a paper bag to carry home. It was very flattering to receive letters though it can be tiring, especially since he's been receiving it from the same people day after day. Surely, he's not the only heartthrob in Meiou? The contents have been different lately. It no longer bore expressions of crush, admiration, love—it started to ask him whether he was dating the "blonde girl with blue eyes" or "Ms Hongou" or "the silent girl." Some have written saying they saw him holding her hand in the downtown district. The letters became slightly interesting from there but most of the time it was quite annoying.

Some girls would openly say something bad about Yui like she's a flirt, slut, whore, and all those unpleasant words. He never liked girls who say something bad about fellow girls just to get the attention of a guy. He told Yui about the letters one time and she just smiled, uncaring.

"Let them talk," she said, eyes closed, savoring the soft wind at the rooftop. "I don't have to explain myself."

Her reaction confused him. He initially thought she was someone who valued what other people say. Now, he must have read her wrong somewhere. Or Yui was probably changing in the time they were together. Kurama sighed and walked out of the school. Girls greeted him on the way out and he somehow missed walking home with Yui. Girls never approached him when she's with him. Life was always much simpler with her around, not to mention entertaining.

"Shuuichi-kun!" Yui called and he turned immediately. She seldom called him by his first name in school, especially with the _kun_ affixed. The girl paced with her and they walked together.

"I thought you're staying at the library?" he asked and she was trying to stabilize her breathing.

"I was but then I realized I…well…I changed my mind, that's all." She looked down as they were walking. Kurama smiled, it was a good thing she changed her mind, though it was not in her character to be fickle-minded. "So what club are you joining this year?"

"You missed the library to ask me that?" he teased and she blushed, redder than the usual. There was something different about her today but he couldn't exactly pinpoint what.

"Don't please yourself, ne," she answered, still looking down. "So which club are you joining?"

Kurama looked ahead, running through the names of the clubs in his head. "I'm not sure. I haven't thought of that. How about you?"

"Well, it's a toss-up between swimming and archery," she said slowly. Kurama missed a step. She turned to him and blushed more when their eyes met.

"Archery?" Yui nodded. Kurama looked away. "Why archery? You should join the swimming team instead. You're a good swimmer."

"Ritsuko is not in the archery team and besides, I don't like wearing skimpy outfits during competitions. What do you think?" Kurama laughed slightly, trying to hide the slight panic in his voice.

"Archery sounds…well, too traditional. Join another club instead," he said, not looking her way. "Besides, you look cute in swimsuits." Yui slapped him in the arm and he laughed, turning to her. "You really are…Yui—" their eyes met and they both looked away, flushed. What was wrong with them today?

"Whatever, Shuuichi. I'm joining the archery team. You should join a club too," she said, still looking away. "It's our last year in Meiou and it should be memorable."

"It is becoming memorable for me," he said softly. Yui smiled, walking ahead of him and then turning. She seemed very happy today. "Will you cook _takenoko gohan_ for me again?" he asked and she nodded. It had been more than a month since he tasted her cooking and he still wanted to eat it. After all, spring only comes once a year and bamboo shoots tasted perfect in the season.

"Grandma sent me fresh bamboo shoots from Kyoto," she said, walking backwards. "Tonight would be the perfect time to try it." Yui smiled widely but she accidentally stepped into something and lost balance, falling backward on the pavement. Kurama instinctively walked toward her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and caught her before she fell.

The world stopped moving when their eyes met. Yui held to him and he supported her, pulling her closer. Electricity coursed through their bodies and Kurama's heart started to beat faster, his blood rushing through his body in a hurry. He can hear hers doing the same and the sound their hearts created was music to his ears. He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. Damn it, he thought, if he were Shuuichi Minamino he would have…

Kurama let go of her and Yui turned away, speechless. She started to walk away and the redhead debated with himself whether to follow or not. She was two blocks away when he decided to run after her. Kurama sighed, he was becoming very unstable lately. And Yui was troubling him to no end. They never shared anything beyond personal conversations. They had not kissed or did intimate stuff but she was driving him to unknown depths. The blonde girl turned left and he hurried, even if they were acting differently, he was still eager to taste her cooking. He always had a weakness for good food. And if the girls in Meiou knew that, he would definitely find numerous food on his shoes locker. Truth be told, he wanted Yui's cooking.

The girl was about to cross the street when he reached her. Yui turned to him and looked on the other side. "If you want to enter the archery club, I'll support you all the way," Kurama said, not knowing what else to say.

Blue eyes looked at him and for awhile, his breath caught. She smiled hesitantly. "I'll think about it. Maybe not joining a club is also a good idea." They crossed the street together, still awkward from each others' presence.

"Archery seemed like an interesting sport. It needs a sharp eye and deep concentration."

"Will you join an archery club?" she asked and Kurama almost tripped. Almost. But she didn't notice.

"No. I'm slightly afraid of arrows," he muttered and Yui laughed out loud, turning to him. He smiled. He finally said something right.

"Why is that?" she asked, her big eyes glinting with curiosity. Kurama arranged his tie and started walking. She followed. "Come on, you seldom tell me anything about yourself."

The redhead stopped walking and looked intently at her. Should he tell her? She was still blushing but she looked excited for his confession. A part of him wanted to please her and another part wanted to kill the former. He sighed and she moved closer, waiting.

"Do you believe in past lives?" he asked and Yui was caught with surprise. He briefly saw fear in her eyes but in another second, it was gone. She bit her lip and looked down, nodding slightly. "I think that in my past life, I was killed by an arrow." He brushed his long red hair. "I was very bad in my past life. I was a bad _kitsune_."

A smile spread through her face. The hesitation he felt melted. Maybe it was not a bad idea to tell her _that. _Yui looked up, still smiling. "I see. And who killed you then?" she asked softly.

"I don't know, probably a hunter." Yui laughed again. "What were you in your past life?" he asked and she blinked at him.

"I was a _miko_," she said in a wistful voice. "I think I was a dragon priestess."

"Dragon priestess…" he smiled. "You must be pretty strong and influential in your past life." Yui just smiled at him, looking down, as if debating whether to tell him more or not. He brushed her cheek and she looked up, fidgeting at the contact. Her cheeks colored when he cupped her face. Her lips quivered slightly and he thumbed the sides of her mouth, watching the little movements it made. Dazed, Kurama stepped closer and leaned down to her mouth.

A loud screeching sound filled the air and the redhead immediately wrapped his arms around her like a shield, protecting her from possible danger. Kurama's heart palpitated and he felt relieved when he realized they were not in the middle of the street. A truck slowed down before it reached the pedestrian lane and Kurama briefly saw an outline of a boy being saved by none other than his friend Yusuke. The spirit detective laid down the boy on their side of the street.

"Thank you for saving my life, _onii-chan_!" the boy bowed and ran away. He turned and Yusuke answered him with a thumbs-up. The boy smiled widely and turned left to another street.

"That was a close call," he said and turned to him. Yusuke made a sound when he looked at him and smiled sheepishly.

"Shuuichi?" Yui spoke and he loosened his hold of her. His cheeks colored, Yusuke just saw him embracing the blonde girl. It was…

"_Konnichiwa!_" Yusuke greeted and Yui turned to him. He immediately took her hand and shook it. "I'm Yusuke," the detective moved closer to her face, making her blush. "You're so beautiful! Are you Kurama's girlfriend?"

"Kurama?" Yui asked and the redhead touched the younger boy's wrist and pulled his hand away from her. He went between them, hiding Yui behind him.

"Yusuke, it's nice to see you today!" he said, smiling. _Don't call me Kurama, I'm Shuuichi, _he told him through telepathy and the other boy laughed sheepishly.

"It's nice to see you too, Ku—Shuuichi!" he said, taking his hand away. Yusuke smirked. Kurama raised an eyebrow and was about to tell him something else when the spirit detective looked behind him. "What's your name? Are you dating this girl, _Shuuichi_?"

Yui bowed before him, blushing. "_Konnichiwa_, Yusuke-san. I'm Hongou Yui. Shuuichi-kun is my classmate."

The raven-haired detective laughed. "Do you have a boyfriend?" he asked and Kurama hit him in the head. He was able to evade him and the detective sniggered when he reappeared a feet away. Kurama raised an eyebrow. "Fine, fine. It's nice to meet you, Yui. I didn't know this demon is your friend." Kurama's eyes widened.

_YUSUKE! One more word and I'm telling Keiko you're flirting with another girl. _The detective frowned, stepping away. _Geez, I was just teasing. She didn't know? _The boy asked and Kurama shook his head. "We should be going ahead now. We still have to study." The redhead pulled Yui away.

"Fine, keep all the pretty girls to yourself. And Yui," he called, making the blonde turned. "Be careful of my friend, he's deadly," he said and Kurama's brow creased. The boy laughed and turned, walking the other way.

"Is he your friend?" Yui asked and he continued to pull her, their fingers laced together.

"_Hai_," he said softly, not wanting to talk more about the encounter. Yui should not meet his friends. They can't hide a secret and him being a demon will slip out. He doesn't want her to know. Not yet.

"I see…" Yui said in a sad voice. They walked toward her place, not saying anything. Their hands were joined together, making them warm despite the silence. This time, Kurama didn't let her go. He doesn't want to.

--

Shuuichi was ashamed of her, Yui concluded. The mere fact that he did not introduce her properly to his friend meant he was humiliated to be seen with her. Her heart constricted. Why did he act that way? For awhile, he became aloof and silent. With his friend around, Shuuichi seemed to have become another man.

He only let her go when they reached the door of her apartment that afternoon. By then she was convinced that he had been unwilling to divulge a secret part of himself. He does not trust her enough. The thought hurt her. She realized too that even though they were closer than the others, she barely knew anything about him. Yui sighed and turned her attention on Ritsuko, who was then standing behind the professor's table, discussing the class's plan for the upcoming spring fair. Ritsuko was the class president and had she not been mean to her for the last three years, Yui knew they will be rather good friends.

Listening to the brunette made Yui remember the confrontation in the rooftop. She had not spoken to her since then but she continued to flirt with Shuuichi. As a matter of fact, she seemed to flirt more now especially when she was around. Yui doubted if Ritsuko indeed loved Shuuichi the way she claimed. It appeared to her that she was only competing with her for his attention.

"Okay, we're doing a coffee shop for the fair. Any other suggestions?"

"Let's imitate animals," Amano suggested and the rest of the boys, except Shuuichi, agreed. "Like a jungle café. We'll draw slots on what we'll wear." Yui frowned, it was another excuse to wear something skimpy. How perverted.

"Any other suggestions? Violent reactions?" Ritsuko asked. The students shook their heads and Ritsuko smiled widely. "Okay, we're doing a jungle café then." The girl started to write the types of animals on the pieces of paper and rolled it.

Yui sighed and accidentally met Shuuichi's stares. Her face felt hot. She looked away, sitting straight on her chair. They haven't talked anything personal after they encountered Yusuke on the way home. It was sad how one incident can put a gap between them. Yui flushed harder when she remembered what they were doing before Yusuke showed up. Shuuichi was lining her lips very softly and then…She gulped. Shuuichi came closer, too close she thought he was about to kiss her. And then a sound stirred the air and he pulled her into his arms.

Ritsuko walked toward her table and made a face as she drew a paper from the bowl. She moved away from her quickly as if she had a deadly disease. She turned toward Shuuichi and it was the redhead's turn to look away. What was wrong with them? Why are they suddenly awkward of each other's company? She put the paper inside her pocket. She will open it later to avoid reacting in front of everyone. She always hated showing too much emotion in class.

The bell rang and everyone cheered and hurried to leave. Yui arranged her things and glanced at him. They don't have studying lessons today, she was trying out for the archery team. She sighed and walked out of the room, resisting the urge to turn to him. She approached the captain of the archery team yesterday and Ishida Uryu scheduled her try-out today.

Ishida was with the team since first year and he had been winning numerous awards since then. He was a handsome but quite stoic man. He belonged to another class and if she was not mistaken, he ranked third in their batch. Yui was briefly disappointed she could not compete with him directly so she had the least idea how his mind works. In Meiou, students were placed in classes through a random selection process. Even if you're first in the rankings, you can end up being classmates with the dumbest. Equality, Yui thought. But what was weird was that she had always been classmates with Shuuichi. Since their freshmen days, the two of them have been indirectly competing for the first and second rankings.

"Hongou-san!" Ishida called and she smiled at him. The boy pushed his glasses and raised an eyebrow, signaling how unwelcome her smiles were. He was one of the heartthrobs in Meiou and girls joined the archery team to flirt with him. But he was not like Shuuichi, Ishida was on the cold side. He seldom smiled like Shuuichi and he threw all the love letters in his shoes locker. He was very unapproachable but instead of turning off admirers, girls still run after him. He was the yin to Shuuichi's yang. There were rumors that he was not interested in girls because someone already owned his heart. Yui never knew if it was true, she never really cared much about him.

Ishida was surprised when she approached him yesterday to inquire about the membership. Girls often approach him to ask about the archery team and to flirt. He eyed her keenly yesterday as if she was one of his admirers. Yui doesn't like him much, he was…like Nakago. Anyway, to avoid admitting members that only joined because they like him, the archery team conducts the hardest exams. The applicant will have to compete with the best members and if they lose, they won't be allowed to join. The archery team was one of the most exclusive clubs in the school and it was not surprising that she wanted to join it—archery challenged her. Ishida will be giving her the test today and she was not sure if it was a good or a bad sign. He was, after all, the best in the school and probably in all the high school levels in the district.

"Ready to lose?" he asked and Yui raised an eyebrow.

"Not today," she smiled widely and they walked together toward the gymnasium. Yui had a feeling Ishida wanted to compete with her too. He probably saw the archery team as his way of overcoming her. The thought would have made her panic, but then, she had seen him compete before whereas he had never seen her play archery. Any strategist knew, and Nakago would agree, she had the advantage.

"We will do the try-out in the lawn," he said and Yui's eyes widened. Competing with him in the lawn meant they will be seen by everyone. "Don't get scared, Hongou. You should know how to beat me now, you always watch me play."

Ishida walked away with a smug smile on his face. Yui frowned, he was becoming unbearable and she was trying to be nice to him. He probably thought she liked him. Yes, she always watched him but it was not because of like or love or whatever. As much as she doesn't want to admit it, she liked the way he plays archery. He always brings out so much power in one arrow. He's…good. Professionally and skillfully good. Even her grandfather would be amazed at his skill.

The girl headed toward the lockers and got changed. When she told her grandfather she planned to join the archery team, he immediately sent her clothes through the family's most-trusted messenger. She was surprised when the messenger delivered her bow and her grandfather's favorite arrows earlier today. He even called her this morning to give her advices. The reason she always watch Ishida play was because she liked telling her grandfather about the captain. Archery was one of the topics they both talk with passion and it kept him updated on the names to watch out for. Archery had lost its initial influence, it was no longer a sport that was practiced by the most prominent and respected personalities. Other more modern sports gained more distinction and archery was now practiced by a selected few, primarily because it needed discipline and money. Her grandfather had always urged her to join the Meiou archery team, as he had heard good things about it. It was tough if you have a well-known archer for a grandfather.

Yui tied her hair in a low ponytail and arranged her clothes. "You can do this, time to show them what you got. You're a Hongou, don't get scared," she whispered at herself in front of the mirror. With a heavy sigh, she carried her equipment out into the lawn. Ishida was standing outside the lockers room, waiting for her.

"Nice bow," he noted and she smiled faintly. He walked away and she followed. The students looked at them as they passed by, some smirked and by the time they reached the team's practicing lawn, a crowd had gathered around for them. The archery team has the habit of doing the try-outs in the lawn whenever they want to humiliate an applicant. It was a team that was predominantly composed of men with high egos. Ishida must have been waiting for the chance to humiliate her in public. Maybe Shuuichi was right, joining the team was not a good idea. But she can't back out now. Not while they're walking like on a death sentence.

Yui sighed again. She wished Shuuichi was there to support her. Having the redhead around makes her feel she can do anything. She was never the type to depend heavily on someone but Shuuichi was…special. She blushed at the thought and when she looked up, Ishida raised an eyebrow at her. She frowned as she handed her bow to one of the members. She walked toward him and they bowed to each other.

The game had officially begun. She stood up and walked toward the line. She pulled out an arrow and strung it. Think of the fire and the void, her grandfather always tell her when they play the sport in the garden of the manor house. Yui closed her eyes and pulled the arrow, pointing it at the red circle five miles away. Her eyes caught a patch of red hair in the distance and her eyes widened when Shuuichi smiled at her. She smiled back, relieved to see him. Lightness filled her and she gracefully let go, the arrow hit the middle of the circle with precision. She slowly walked back to her seat, smiling to herself.

Ishida smirked and stood up. He kneaded the arrow, pulled roughly, and immediately let it go. As if following an invisible line, the arrow hit the center of the red circle. Some of the female audience swooned and Yui gaped at him. She had to admit that if she was in the audience she would have swooned herself, he was quite charismatic in that form. He smirked when he faced her and a blush formed on her cheeks. Annoyed, Yui stood up and walked toward the line. He was a big show-off today.

Instead of following his example, Yui continued to play serenely and with grace. Archery was the only sport that can make her forget everything. In her head, it was only the fire and the void. It was a sport she liked to linger on, each movement was an art in itself. She doesn't want to rush winning, she wanted to savor the only moment she was able to play archery again. She let go of the arrow and it landed an inch beside the first one. The crowd clapped lightly. A smile never left Shuuichi's face.

The routine went on and on, both of them hitting the target, not one missing a turn. Yui realized that it was no longer a battle of skill but a battle of concentration. Whoever loses concentration, loses the game. It lasted for more than an hour and only two more arrows were left on her case. The sun was setting and some of the students had gone home already. Yui glanced at her side and her eyes met Shuuichi's green orbs. He was still watching them play and his presence warmed her.

Yui hit the target again and Shuuichi clapped, a little too loudly. She bit her lip, trying hard not to smile too widely. Ishida took his turn and flawlessly hit the target. It seemed the game will end in a draw, she thought. Even with their shoulders aching, none will give way. Before she let go of the last arrow, Yui glanced at him. This last shot will be for him, she thought, cheeks blushing. _Because he's afraid of arrows…_

But he was not in the same spot she last saw him. She scanned the thin crowd and found him far far away, not watching them but talking to Ritsuko. Yui's hand tightened on the bow and her eyes widened when the brunette wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. Yui turned her attention on the target, her arms quivering. She was losing control. Concentrate, Yui, think of the fire and the void. The kiss reappeared in her head and she let go of the arrow. It missed the mark and landed outside the circle. Her jaw clenched and she sat back, looking down. She didn't turn to Ishida, he would just smirk because once he hits the target with his last arrow, she will lose.

Ishida let go of his last arrow and she closed her eyes, looking down in defeat, her heart breaking ever so slowly. When she opened them again, Ishida had faced her and he pushed his glasses back, looking at her intently. Yui gasped when she found out he had also missed the mark. His last arrow was an inch beside her last one. It can be easily considered as a mistake but she knew that he intentionally missed the target. The captain walked toward her, smirking, as if reading her thoughts.

"Welcome to the team." He offered his hand and Yui hesitantly took it, the members clapped around her. He pulled her up and they bowed to each other.

"_Arigatou gozaimasu_, Ishida-san," she said, immediately turning away and walking back toward the changing room. She barely smiled at the members who welcomed her because her mind was clouded with something—someone—else. Tears fell from her eyes the moment she closed the door and she covered her mouth to stop sobs from coming out. She tried to control herself and headed for the sink to wash her face.

The scene replayed in her head over and over again. It was different when Ritsuko told her about kissing Shuuichi and it was different when she saw it herself. Why was she so affected? Why does she even care? Why? She washed her face, trying to stop the tears from flowing. Her mobile phone rang and she immediately wiped her face. Her grandfather's voice appeared on the other end.

"How was it, Yui?" he asked eagerly. Yui laughed, her voice still coarse.

"I got in, grandpa. I followed everything you told me." Yui tried to smile even though her heart was heavy and breaking. "I missed one arrow, though. I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter, child. One mistake will not ruin the many other rights you did. I'm very proud of you," he said. A tear fell from her eye. His advice seemed to have been likewise appropriate for another situation. For awhile, she forgot about the archery try-out and was thinking of the kiss. "I will tell your grandmother over dinner. I hope you could visit, Yui. We really miss you."

They said their goodbyes and Yui sat silently for a few minutes, calming herself and the numerous emotions the kiss triggered in her. She changed clothes and arranged her things. She left the bow inside her club locker, she will need it for practices now that she's a member. She let out a heavy sigh and walked out of the changing room, eyes still slightly red. Ishida was standing outside the door and she was surprised to see him.

"Archers should not let their emotions rule them during competitions," he said. "You should learn how to control yours."

"You missed the mark intentionally. Why?" she asked softly. "You could have easily humiliated me. That's what you want, doesn't it?"

Ishida smirked and moved closer to her. "You're good and I'd be stupid to let you go. I don't play archery to humiliate people, and I will never use it to humiliate you. Never you." He placed his hands inside his pockets. "You want to know what makes me tick and I admit I feel the same…_curiosity_."

"It doesn't matter now, _captain_. Excuse me," she said, suddenly feeling very tired. She turned away from him, walking as fast as she could. The only thing she wanted was to go home and soak on the hot waters of the bathtub.

"You dropped this." Yui turned around and the _bishounen_ walked toward her, handing her a paper. He read out the word written on it and she grabbed it, immediately placing it inside her pocket. She had almost forgotten about the jungle café. Ishida smiled smugly. "We have practices every Tuesday and Thursday. Don't forget," he said very softly, as if sharing a secret.

Before Yui could answer, he lifted her chin and planted a kiss on the side of her mouth. She gasped, her eyes widening in surprise. He didn't move away immediately and lingered longer. The girl's cheeks flushed and he moved away, caressing her cheek very very softly with the back of his finger.

"I look forward to a year with you, Yui." The captain walked away from her and she turned to follow him with her eyes filled with disbelief. She was shocked and flustered with his actions. Her eyes widened again when she saw Shuuichi's figure at the gates of the school, looking at the captain sharply. The raven-haired stopped beside Shuuichi and met his stares. They gawked at each other sharply for a long time, as if throwing daggers at each other. The former smirked and walked away, smiling widely as if he just fought a battle and emerged victorious.

Yui stood at her place, watching them, still surprised at the little act. Shuuichi turned to her, making her heart palpitate louder than the usual. She caught her breath when he walked toward her. The blonde girl looked away and walked past him. He immediately clutched her arm, turning her around.

"Yui—"

"Let go." Shuuichi did and her heart ached. Little did she know that he was also in pain.

* * *

**_A/N:_**_Why Ishida Uryu of **Bleach**? Well, I was thinking of a character who is good in archery and he immediately appeared in my head. It helped too that I'm crushing on him and he's quite hot (in a nerdy discreet way), which is very different from Kurama. :) Thanks for reading and do tell me what you think!_


	9. Chapter Eight

_I'm going on a vacation until end of November so I'm putting up all the chapters that are in my desktop. Unfortunately, there's no update for some stories, really really sorry for that. :) Anyway, I hope you like this new chapter. I've been uninspired lately and I literally had to rewrite the ending four or five times. Please do tell me what you think! Thanks for reading and do leave reviews!_

**_Michi:_**_Yes, there is a misunderstanding. I guess that happens when you have too much to hide. :D Everything will be clearer in this chapter. Thanks for reading and I'm glad you liked it!_

**_Disclaimer:_**_FY and YYH are not mine._

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

By Slavedriver2008

* * *

A yawn left Yui and she shook her head to brush away the drowsiness. She focused on the mathematical equation in front of her and tried to remember which formula worked for the problem. After five minutes of analyzing, Yui realized she was not making any progress.

"You're spending too much time for club practices," Shuuichi told her and she didn't look up. They have been treating each other coldly lately and she was trying her best to avoid him in school. The reason she was spending too much time in practice was because she wanted to be tired for their study lessons. Shuuichi cut the lessons short when she's not feeling well. It worked at first, but exhaustion was starting to take its toll on her body. Drinking vitamin C was not enough to make up for lost sleep.

"Maybe we should continue this on Friday?" Shuuichi touched her hand and she moved away, still refusing to meet his gaze. After being admitted in the archery club, they had to schedule their lessons on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. They also had to extend for an hour. On weekends, she has to work in the bookstore. Her schedule gave her less time to sleep and relax. But it worked well for her, prevented her from thinking too much.

"We're already delayed. If we cut this short, we'll have a hard time pacing our other lessons—" he said softly.

"Fine. One more hour then," Yui responded, cutting him. The blonde turned her attention on the blank sheet of paper and started her computations. She kept on getting an infinity answer, it meant she's using the wrong formula. Silence filled them again. They were in each other's worlds for more than 10 minutes when Shuuichi spoke again.

"How was the wedding?" he asked but Yui didn't look up.

"Got canceled. Miaka's parents think it's too early for them to get married. They told Keisuke earlier and—" Yui stopped speaking and shook her head. Why does she have to tell him? She focused her attention on the now becoming dirty paper and frowned. She wanted to slap herself, why can't she act normal in front of him? After seeing them kiss, Yui couldn't bear seeing them together. Or being this close to Shuuichi. It was torture.

"You got the formula wrong," Shuuichi noticed and before Yui could react, he sat beside her and leaned close. His scent filled her and she tried to focus her attention on the formula he wrote on her paper. She slowly looked up to him and Shuuichi met her gaze. "What's wrong, Yui? You know you can tell me anything…"

Yui looked away, guilty for being caught looking. "Nothing. We should study now. I really could use some extra hour of sleep after this." Shuuichi didn't move away and continued to watch her.

"Is it about Ishida-san?" he asked. "Are you seeing him?" The girl shook her head. "He seemed to be very interested in you."

"I never noticed. We don't really talk much during practices." Shuuichi smiled, for the first time in weeks. "You and Ritsuko seemed to be getting along well too." Yui wanted to bang her head on the wall. Why did she even say that?

The redhead laughed. "No, we're not." Yui made a face. "Jealous?" She turned to him abruptly.

"No," she said defensively. Shuiichi brushed her blushing cheek with a finger and smiled widely, as if he knew something she doesn't know.

"Yes you are."

"You are so full of yourself, Minamino Shuuichi." Yui rolled her eyes and placed a space between them. She bowed to hide her blushing cheeks but the redhead continued to watch her in a knowing gaze. "Stop it."

"I'm not doing anything," he teased. He leaned on the table, placed his head on his right hand and to Yui's disbelief, watched her. Yui flushed more at the attention. "Are you jealous of me and Ritsuko?" he asked again.

"Again, no."

"Liar." Yui turned to him, slightly angry. Shuuichi smiled wider.

"Do you want me to be jealous?" She raised an eyebrow and he didn't say anything.

"No." Yui smirked and rolled her eyes.

"Liar." Yui said, not having control of her actions. They stared at each other for a long time until Shuuichi leaned down to capture her mouth in a soft kiss. Yui closed her eyes and responded to him. She didn't know why but she wanted to. Her heart beat wildly, and she felt dazed from the sensation of their lips moving together. It was…finally… He cupped her mane and pulled her closer. He thumbed a spot behind her ear and she moaned in his mouth. Why was she hostile of him after seeing them kiss? Was she really jealous? Was she in love with him?

Shuuichi entered her mouth and the world stopped moving when their tongues met. He slowly lapped against hers and Yui pulled his shirt. Closer, she wanted him closer. As if reading her thoughts, he pulled her to his lap and she wrapped her legs around his waist. It was amazing, them moving together. She never thought Shuuichi could make her feel this way. Heat filled her and they had not done anything but kiss. Sanity was slowly leaving her and all that she wanted was to stay in his arms and kiss him and touch him. She let out a sound of protest when he left her mouth but she moaned contentedly when he began to trail her neck. Yui's head arched back, breathing heavy from the emotions that filled her as Shuuichi teased the hollow of her neck.

"Yui…" he called her, his voice heavy. He moved his mouth to put her lobe in his mouth and Yui squirmed when he lapped at the spot behind her ear. She let out a moan, leaning completely to him.

"Shuuichi…" she responded to him, to let him know she was aware of what they were doing. She raked shaky hands over his back. She wanted to take his shirt off and touch him. He wanted to feel his skin on her hands, to feel the fire of their bodies. His hand traveled up her leg and Yui bit his ear, playing with the lobe with her tongue. He moaned and his hand entered her shirt, lining her slim waist, moving up. He unhooked her bra and her eyes widened when his hand moved toward her chest.

"STOP!" She pulled away, trembling. She wrapped her arms around herself and tried to pacify the panic that gripped her. Familiar images from the slums of Kutou entered her thoughts and fear gripped her. Her heart beat faster and the sound deafened her. Tears blinded her and she cried out of fear. No one will save her. "Nakago…Nakago!"

"Yui…" Shuuichi reached for her but she slapped his hand away.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Shuuchi held her face softly and she stopped struggling. Coherence came back to her senses and her eyes widened when she realized what happened. She moved away from him. "Don't ever touch me again. You disgust me!" She stood up and walked toward her room, locking it behind her.

--

Kurama arranged his tie for the spring-summer school fair. He sighed and placed his black ears, the tail would follow later. It was the animal he got for the fair—a cat. The rest of his classmates were busy changing into their designated animals for the jungle café. He was going to be a cat-waiter. He briefly wondered what Yui's costume would be and he ended up feeling gloomy.

It's been weeks since they kissed on her living room and he can still feel the softness of her lips. He fingered his lips, remembering the wondrous sensation of being able to feel her mouth, her ear, her smooth skin. In normal situations, such intimacy would have ended in a relationship. But their case proved otherwise, it brought them further apart. They couldn't talk to each other and they stopped studying together. No one had to ask for space, it just went with the sudden hostility between them.

If only she hadn't pushed him away, he would have followed the wretched part of himself that wanted to run back to her. If only she didn't show such disgust, he would have…He briefly remembered leaning on the door of her room, hearing the sound of the shower and very faint sobbing. Yui was crying. He turned the knob then but it was locked. What did he do wrong? Why did she suddenly push him away? While they kissed, Kurama knew even without words all the emotions they have been trying to control. He wanted to kiss her again, to confirm if all the thoughts that have plagued him night after night were right. _Don't ever touch me again. You disgust me…_

Why did she say that? A realization struck him. Had Yui realized he was a demon? Had she felt it? Was it the reason why she felt disgusted? He had no way of knowing and he doesn't want to confirm his theory. Kurama knew then and there that what was once between them, was no longer there anymore. They were different people again, strangers. His past was holding him back and it was the same with hers.

And it was painful. It was killing him slowly. This was probably what a heartbreak felt like. Hurting and not knowing how to make it stop. Being in pain and being completely helpless. He had fallen without knowing how or when or why. And when he had figured it out, it was too late. He can no longer reach for her. Yui had flown away.

Kurama was briefly envious of his friends. Yusuke had Keiko, Kuwabara had Yukina, Hiei had Muruko. They were different in showing what they feel for the women in their lives but they knew how to make them stay. They knew when to sweep them off their feet, to make them special. He sighed. He never thought being human and being in love was such a stressful thing. His life was much much more peaceful when he was a _youkai_.

The boys in the class made gagging noises when Ritsuko entered the room. She was wearing a rabbit costume that reminded Kurama of the famous Playboy bunny. He raised an eyebrow at the skimpy outfit. Some of the boys whistled and the brunette walked toward him.

"What do you think of my costume, Shuuichi?" she asked seductively.

"I sometimes wonder if there's a cloth shortage in Japan. But I think we'll get lots of male customers if you manage to pull it off for the day," he smiled back and the girl squealed.

"Don't worry, I'll be able to pull this one off!" she answered but his attention was no longer with the girl. He gasped when Yui walked inside the room, dressed in a short green kimono. There were white cat-like ears on her head and a long white tail behind her. Her hair was flowing freely behind her back, it had grown longer now and he had to admit it suited her best.

Their eyes met and his world stopped moving. Kurama recognized the ears, it did not belong to a cat. Yui looked away, flushed. The redhead looked at the floor around him. His heart had fallen somewhere off his sleeve. Yui was…he swallowed hard…a _kitsune_. A female _kitsune_. A female version of him. Something inside him shifted. The demon had felt it too—the attraction.

The day passed with just a few glances exchanged between them. Kurama wanted to talk to her, to tease her just like the old times. He wanted to hear her voice, to make her blush, but the number of customers in their little café made it impossible for him. Not to mention that Ritusko seemed to have developed a habit of always clinging to him or showing up beside him. Kurama contented himself with looking at her from afar. It was better this way. If he talked to her, he might say something inappropriate again. He can't risk pushing her away more. The most annoying part of his day happened when Ishida showed up in the café.

"What will you get Ishida-san?" Yui asked and the captain smiled at her.

"I want…Hongou Yui…Can I take her home?" Kurama's ears perked up and his eyebrows creased. He glanced at the girl from the sides of his eyes. She was frowning at him.

"Someone's already taking her home today. You came in too late." She smiled softly. Kurama turned toward their table. Someone's taking her home? Was she seeing anyone? How can it happen? He had been following her after class everyday, making sure she got home safe.

"That's a shame. I'll have a cappuccino and a brownie, please." Ishida smiled at the girl and she nodded, turning away. He met her blue eyes and she stopped walking. After a deafening silence, she looked down and walked past him without a single word. When Kurama looked up, Ishida pushed his glasses and smirked at him.

He turned away, annoyed. It was the first time he had shown outright distaste for someone. The captain should stop flirting with her, it was unbecoming of him since he was technically her senior in the club. The redhead didn't take his green eyes off him the whole time he was in the café and when he paid the bill and walked out, he whispered something in Yui's ears that made the girl blush. He seethed. The café was packed so he wasn't able to hear what he said and the captain whispered it too close he wasn't able to read his lips.

The day ended and the class started to clean the room and take the jungle theme down. They got quite a big amount and they ranked second in the over-all winners. Ishida's class got the first. It didn't make Kurama happy but he was glad the dressing-up was over. He was finished changing when Ritsuko walked up to him. Before she could plant a kiss on his lips, he had turned away from her.

"Stop doing this, Ritsuko."

"Why can't you just forget her? She doesn't even care about you," she said, eyes begging. "I—I'm the one who loves you, Shuuichi-kun. You belong with me," she said.

"I don't belong with anyone. Not with you, not with Yui." He turned around to arrange his things. He pulled the ears and the tail to put it in his bag.

"Liar. She has all of you. You don't have to say anything. It's so obvious. You're always looking at her but she will never turn to you. You're hoping but she'll never warm up. She's frigid, Shuuichi."

"She's not," he answered. "And you'll never understand what I feel, Ritsuko. I should go ahead now. I'll see you on Monday." He walked out of the room. He briefly saw Yui's outline from the side of the room, standing stiffly, holding something in her hands. He stopped walking.

"She's right, I'm frigid…" she whispered.

"No you're not." He turned to her and Yui stepped back. She turned away but he clasped her wrist. "We both know the truth. Until when are you running away from me?" he asked and she pushed his hand away. She ran from him again and for the first time, Kurama wanted to follow her. He looked down and his eyes landed on a white envelope she had accidentally dropped. He picked it up and was surprised when he found his name on the side of the envelope.

Kurama put the envelope inside his shirt and followed her. He was feeling wary lately and he wanted to know if someone was indeed taking her home. He raised an eyebrow when Yui hailed a cab and showed the driver a certain address. The driver nodded and Kurama jumped off the school, following the taxi, trying his best to be inconspicuous in the late afternoon. It was already night when the cab stopped and Yui got out. They were in the other side of Shinjuku, the commercial district. His eyebrows creased, it was a dangerous place at such time, who would Yui meet here?

"Why the troubled look?" a familiar voice said and Kurama turned to see Hiei beside him on the roof. "Your girl's looking for trouble being in such a place."

"I'm here," he said plainly.

"I forgot prince charming's here to the rescue. Lucky girl." Kurama smiled and the black-haired demon smirked.

"What are you doing here?"

"Just dropping by. Besides, you might need a hand if things get rough."

"Thank you."

"You're becoming soft, Kurama." The redhead didn't say anything. His attention was on Yui. She had gotten down the taxi and had leaned on the side street, looking intently at the high-rise building on the other side. Around her, people started to go home. Kurama felt uneasy. Something was stirring in the night and he doesn't like the feel of it.

--

Yui checked her watch and sighed. It was already past eight but he had not come out yet. She took out the paper Taka gave her and double-checked the address. It was correct but he might have been absent today. Yui wanted to berate herself for suddenly showing up in his office. But then, she had no intention of talking to him, she just wanted to know if he was indeed alive. She won't do anything to ruin his current life, she just wanted to see him. She had been troubled lately, especially after Shuuichi kissed her.

It was stupid of her to push him away after she responded too willingly. But she didn't know why she kept on remembering that dreadful day in Kutou. It was a lie, a lie that her beloved shogun had created. But she does not understand why it kept on troubling her until today. It's been three years, she should have moved on by now. Her nightly contemplation led her to conclude that there was probably an unresolved issue that she had to face. She wanted to get over the book, desperately. Why? Because she wanted a new life with Shuuichi.

**_The haze beyond your eyes cloud your sight... Are there feelings at the bottom of your heart?_**

Yui knew that she could not look forward with her past clouding over her. She wanted to stop being the Seiryuu no miko and just become normal Yui. She wanted to let go of Shin Jin Ten Chi Sho and embrace her current life. The scars of the past made her push people away. She knew so because it was the reason Tetsuya left her. And before she begins a new chapter of her life with Shuuichi, she wanted to get over the past. She wanted answers in the numerous questions the book left her. And _he_ probably has the answer to some, if not all.

The wind blew, making her shiver. The streets were almost vacant now and silence was starting to eat up the part of the city. Maybe it was a wrong time to see him. She was about to give up when a familiar figure appeared on the entrance. She gasped. It _is_ him. Bless Seiryuu. Nakago walked out of the building and a limousine stopped in front of him. The driver opened the door but before the former shogun entered the vehicle, he turned at her direction and Yui's eyes widened. She turned around abruptly, her heart palpitating loudly. She tried to focus on the jewelries on the other side of the glass. The limousine sped off and Yui sighed with relief.

**_Even if the world is yours... Would that bring you happiness?_**

"It's a dangerous time to be in the streets…" a familiar deep voice said and Yui turned to find Nakago standing a few feet away. "…Yui-sama…" He smirked and Yui felt cold all over.

"You must have mistaken me for someone else. I should go ahead now._ Sayonara_." She bowed down and turned away. He laughed.

"You can change clothes or hairstyles but I will still recognize you. Turn around now, I want to see your face," he said softly and Yui turned around. He brushed her cheek very softly and she blushed. "You've grown more beautiful than when I last saw you. Too bad I'm already married…"

The blonde girl looked up. "Taka didn't tell me. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come…"

"Tamahome gave you my address?" Yui didn't answer. "I should beat him up when I see him. He should have given me your address instead. This place is dangerous in this time of the night. Even in this lifetime, the crab is a stupid man." He said jokingly but Yui didn't find it funny.

"It's my fault. I wanted to see you." Nakago looked at her seriously. Even in a business suit, he looked every bit the former _shogun_.

**_Why? Why do you look up at the lonely heavens? Why can't you laugh a little?_**

"Why?" he asked coldly. Yui shook her head. It was useless now.

"It doesn't matter now. I should be going ahead. You said so yourself, this place is dangerous." She turned away but he clutched her hand and lined the scar on her wrist. Yui gasped.

"Yui…Don't walk away from me."

"It's a mistake to see you. We have different lives now. I don't want to ruin your happiness. " She pulled her hand away but he was holding it tightly, not wanting to let go.

"You are being too hard on yourself."

**_I understand this character of yours – This disposition that is incapable of putting anything into words..._**

"But it's true. Fate is cruel to me. Don't tell me you forgot everything so easily, Nakago." She looked away, sadness consuming her. "I can still smell it, the blood of the thousands of people who died in our selfish war."

"It's been three years… Probably millions of years in the book. Let it go," he told her very softly, as if afraid to hit a nerve.

"It's easy for you to say because you were given another life. Everything happened to another you in another time. And you can easily say, hey, it was not me, but my alter ego or my past life. But for me, it's all part of this damn life." She pulled her hand but he still held to it tightly.

"You are probably right. The events in the book happened to another me but I am cursed with the memories. When I look back on those days, I hate myself too but if I let it affect me, I will become the same person I don't want to become." He walked toward her and Yui stepped back. He let go of her hand but quickly touched her shoulders. "We are both given a new life. You died too when Seiryuu devoured you but you came back, whole. Forgive the people who made your life wretched and forgive yourself. We deserve to be happy, you most of all."

**_What was it that came to be in your sequestered past? These eyes of yours, they refuse to meet the world..._**

Silence. Yui looked down, she was suddenly very scared and very ashamed. It seemed she was the only one who has not moved on. Even Nakago, who have done more horrible things than her, had moved on from the book. Why? Why was it easy for him to forget the bitterness of the book? Why was it easy for Miaka and Taka? And why does the book still haunt her?

"I still remember them…" she said softly. "…the men who tried to rape me in Kutou. I don't know why but I do. I dream of that scene, every night for the last two weeks." Nakago cupped her cheek and lifted her face. "I came to see you because… I remember that I only felt safe whenever you hold me every night."

"Yui…" The deep blue eyes, that once were cold and emotionless, bore concern and sympathy for her. And she looked away. In body he was her seishi but in spirit, he was someone else. He was…the Nakago he wanted to become. Without her.

**_All alone with only the lonely night to cradle you... Is this the warmth that you have come to know?_**

"It's stupid of me to come here. I'm no longer 15, I—" She bit her lip, trying hard to control the tears. "It's nice to see you again. I should be going now." She turned around and walked away from him.

"I'll take you home," Nakago said.

"No, your family is waiting for you. You're no longer my _seishi_, you're bonded to them now." She ran away and Nakago did not follow her. Yui knew it was for the best, they were living different lives now. It would be too selfish of her to keep him attached to their past.

Rain fell but Yui continued to run toward an unknown destination. The tears she was trying hard to control left her and she let out all her frustrations with the weather. Alone. She was alone again. She was always alone. She stepped on something and tripped. Her bag flew to the side and she fell, face down on the pavement. She didn't stand up. Instead, she let the rain soak her in the cold ground. She can hear the sound of rain hitting the cement from where she lay. It was a lonely barren sound. Her knees hurt and she slowly sat up.

A pair of feet approached her and rain stopped falling. She looked up and saw the warmest pair of green eyes she had ever seen. Shuuichi took off his coat and covered it over her shoulders. He was holding an umbrella in another hand. Concern flashed over his beautiful face and he touched her cheek to brush away the tears and the mud from the fall.

"Are you hurt?"

Yui shook her head. And with a sob, wrapped her arms around him. The redhead pulled her closer and rubbed her back as she cried on his chest. He kept on whispering comforting words on her ear. And for the first time in three years, the words reached her once cold and frozen heart.

**_You only have to try to believe..._**

* * *

**_A/N:_**_I've done countless revisions in the last part so it'll lean more toward Yui-Shuuichi and not Yui-Nakago. The song is **Ayaka's** **Why**. It was used as the closing song in **Final Fantasy Crisis Core** and I think it's perfect for Yui and Shuuichi, and some slight Yui-Nakago. :D I've written more than I initially wanted to but I hope you like this chapter! Please do leave reviews!_


	10. Chapter Nine

_I'm finally at chapter 10 (chapter nine excluding the prologue)! :D Yay! Things will get faster from here. Please do leave reviews! This is by far my most favorite fic. :D_

**_Michi:_**_This will clarify some stuff between them. Believe it or not, I've been rewriting this chapter four or five times. Unfortunately, this is the only time Nakago will make an appearance in this fic. Haven't decided yet whether to add a second part or not. :)_

**_Disclaimer_**_: FY and YYH are not mine._

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

By Slavedriver2008

* * *

Kurama brushed away the stray locks of hair on Yui's face. He slowly leaned down to plant a kiss on her head. The girl snuggled closer and he smiled. He slowly walked toward the open window of her bedroom where the crescent moon lit the outline of her sleeping form. He pulled his shirt from the chair and wore it. He had tried to leave earlier but she always wakes up from a bad dream. He heard her conversation with Nakago earlier and he knew she was dreaming of the men who tried to abuse her. When she started to cry, he had no choice but to lie back and pull her into his arms. This was his third attempt to leave. If he had a choice, he would stay with her for the whole night but he doesn't want to surprise her in the morning.

He buttoned his shirt and briefly touched something inside his shirt pocket. He was surprised when he pulled out the white envelope Yui accidentally dropped in school this afternoon. He looked back on her sleeping form and curiously opened the letter.

_Shuuichi-kun,_

_I wanted to talk to you but I don't know where to begin. I've practiced what I'm about to say over and over but it always loses meaning whenever you're around. Coherence leaves me whenever you look at me and I'm afraid that if I come closer, you'll touch my cheek and give me that kind understanding look. And if you do that, courage will leave me for good and I would have to look down and turn away again._

_I've written this letter over and over again and yet, I still don't know how to clearly say what I want to say. Natsuda-sensei should fail me in Writing class because I can't get my thoughts together. But what I want to say is I'm sorry I said what I said that time in the living room. I didn't mean it. I was…absorbed by an incident in my past. I know I shouldn't use this as an excuse for my actions but…I don't know what else to say._

_You see, many dreams ago a girl was stripped of clothes on the streets and for the longest time, she was made to believe she was abused. The dream fragment stuck with her and even after she realized it was a lie, she could not bring herself to forget the incident._

_I've said too much again. I guess what I really want to tell you is that I miss you. I'm getting dramatic. That's it, I'm not giving you this letter anymore. I'll just keep it with me until the paper crumbles and I have to write another one. By then, my mind would have cleared up and I might have more courage to give this to you._

_Always yours,_

_Yui_

Kurama lined the smudged parts of the paper. _I miss you._ It had been wet when she embraced him earlier on the streets. He read the letter again and again, his heart leaping. _Always yours._ By the time he had satiated his reading, a wide smile was planted on his beautiful face. He folded it carefully and placed it inside his shirt pocket, close to the wild beatings of his heart. Without another word, he unbuttoned his shirt again and placed it back on the chair. He slowly returned to the bed and wrapped his arms around her.

Yui snuggled closer and he brushed his fingers through her soft hair. He planted another kiss on her forehead. Hiei was probably laughing at his "softness" but he doesn't care. All that matters was that Yui was sleeping peacefully beside him and she never really hated him. Kurama closed his eyes and listened to her stable breathing. Soon enough, he too was asleep.

--

Kurama sighed. It was futile. He had been researching about 'Nalago' and about 'the book' for a month now, but he was still as clueless as that night he followed Yui at the other side of Shinjuku. What was Nakago's real name and what was the book's title? And then there was the phrase that bugged him to death. _You too were given a new life after Seiryuu devoured you. _What does it mean? If Nakago was referring to the East god Seiryuu, why would the god _devour_ Yui?

_I was a miko in my past life… A dragon priestess… _The redhead eyes widened. Yui told him about a past life before. Why hadn't it crossed his mind? Kurama smiled wider with renewed hope. He will find it, the key to her past. And when he do, he will heal her. He will do anything just to see her smile. Even if that means he has to go back to Makai.

"Shuuichi!" A familiar voice called him and when he turned, he saw Maya running toward him. Her boyfriend Tetsuya was trailing behind. "What's on your mind? I've been calling you but you're so deep in thoughts!" she huffed out and the redhead scratched his head.

"I'm sorry, I was thinking of school too much."

"Was it school or Yui?" she teased and Kurama's face felt warm. "Aawww…You've fallen for her!"

"It's not what you're thinking. We're really good friends," he reasoned out. It was not a nice thing to tell Maya and Tetsuya, who was Yui's former boyfriend, about what he feels for the girl.

"Shuuichi's fallen for who?" Tetsuya asked and Maya smiled wider.

"For your former girlfriend." She laughed. "My charming childhood friend, who never had a girlfriend, is in love with…a frigid girl."

"She's not frigid—" He and Tetsuya said at the same time, making Maya frown. Silence came between them and Kurama sighed.

"I better go ahead." He turned around but Maya stopped him.

"Hey, I was just teasing. Come on, let's have coffee together." Maya pulled him and Kurama sighed. There was no use going against Maya. Once she decided on something, she will not stop unless she got it.

The three of them walked toward the coffee shop in the hot summer day. Kurama tried not to look at Tetsuya, he cannot bear being with him and not think of what the two did in the two years they were together. The older man also defended Yui. The redhead knew she was not frigid because he kissed her and he does not want to imagine the reasons why Tetsuya claimed the same thing. They ordered and no one spoke until the orders arrived. Truth be told, Kurama would rather continue his research than hang out with them. He was never comfortable with the idea of being friends with the love of his life's former flame.

Love of his life? His cheeks felt warm. He never told her about his feelings yet he was already referring to her as his girlfriend. He sighed again. Now, confessing was another struggle. He should have told her the morning they woke up together on her bed. She was red all over when she remembered how he carried her home after her brief meeting with the blonde man. He was never the one who let opportunities pass but he doesn't know what to say when she looked at him. It was… It's different when you look at someone after realizing you love them. He knew it, he was a scaredy cat.

"Why are you out today? It's too hot." Kurama took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat on his forehead.

"Tetsuya and I are deciding where to go for the summer break. We're torn between Hokkaido and Narra." Maya started eating. "Where will you bring Yui if you have the chance?"

"Hokkaido." Kurama easily and Maya laughed. He never meant to answer the question, he was caught off guard. His cheeks burned. "It's not what I meant. Hokkaido seemed like a nice place."

"You're so defensive, Shuuichi-kun." She laughed louder. Her phone rang and she excused herself. Kurama was left with Tetsuya on the table and no word was exchanged between them. What can he say? Yui seemed to be pained by the separation. A thought struck her. _It's been three years since the book happened…_

"Tetsuya," he started and the older man turned to him. "Do you know Nakago?" He should know him. The man didn't say anything and smiled slowly.

"She told you about him?" Kurama shook his head. "Then I won't say anything."

The redhead frowned. "Why not?"

"It's Yui and Miaka's secret. If you want to know, ask her," he said slowly. "How is she?"

"Still somber." Kurama sighed.

"Between us guys, do you like her?" The redhead flushed and the older man laughed. "You don't have to answer. Yui always had a way with _bishounens_."

"Taka said the same thing." The man smiled wider. "We met in the same day _we_ met."

"Ah yes, I remember that. Miaka seemed angry at me. Why do you ask about Nakago?" the man lit a cigarette and Kurama raised an eyebrow. He never thought Yui could like a guy who smoked. "Yui hates it when I smoke. She's always the health girl. If you do, she won't talk to you."

"Yui met with him a month ago," Kurama said and Tetsuya frowned. "I couldn't understand what they were talking about. They mentioned a book and a selfish war." The redhead smiled, the older man was looking at him intently behind his dark glasses. "He also mentioned being reborn and something about Seiryuu. What does it mean?" He has no choice, he needed to know the answers and Tetsuya seemed to know more than the Internet and the library.

"All I can say is that, Nakago is the only man Yui ever loved." He looked down with a sad smile. "He was and is still her biggest weakness." A dagger stabbed Kurama's heart. "If you love her, you have to risk being compared to him. She won't tell you, of course. But you'll feel it." Tetsuya shook his head. "If you want to know more, look at the restricted section of the National Library. It's there, the book. The universe of the four gods. Shin Jin Ten Chi Sho."

"I'm sorry it took me awhile." Maya returned to the table, sighing. "We need to go now. Dad called to ask what time we'll arrive." She turned to her boyfriend and Tetsuya smiled back.

"Let's finish everything and start preparing for Hokkaido then." The girl blushed. They finished their food and paid the bill. They were about to part ways when Tetsuya walked over him and shook his hand. "Make her happy."

"How?" he asked and the man just smiled without saying anything. They parted ways and Kurama had his mind set on the National Library's restricted section. It'll be easy for him to enter, he was, after all, a master of stealth.

--

Yui finished rearranging the living room. Her parents called earlier and said the business was improving. If it continues, her father said they can regain the Japan market and return to their old standing. But for now, they have to focus on the offices in Europe. The business success meant they will be away most of the time. They sent her additional money and asked her to take a vacation for the summer break with a friend. Instead of spending it, she decided to buy additional furniture at home. She briefly remembered Shuuichi telling her the living room needed more color. She went furniture-shopping earlier and wanted to bring him along but he had not been contacting her lately. He was probably on a vacation with his family. They were, after all, a rich lot.

Still, she missed Shuuichi. They had not said anything after that night when she found her on the streets. He took her home and even held her that night. She remembered them parting the following morning exchanging very few words. And then it was back to their usual awkward state. The summer break had just started and she had not seen him for only a few days but she missed him like hell.

Yui sighed and opened the window of her living room. _The cat wanted to kill me. But seriously, if he doesn't do anything soon, I'll get you for myself… _She remembered Uryu whispering the words in her ear during the school fair and it made her blush. She never noticed Shuuichi was jealous, he was always good at hiding his real emotions. He seemed to be always hiding something and the more she wanted to know about him, the more elusive he becomes. Her cheeks flushed when she remembered how he kissed her. It was amazing. His mouth… She shook her head and let the air cool her burning face. She wanted…to kiss him again.

A sole flower bud caught her attention. It was standing on her windowsill and the sight surprised her, she never knew such a plant could grow in her abandoned flower bed. Weeds have sprouted around it and there were some that clung to it, pulling it down. But still, the flower struggled to grow. Some of the leaves have withered and it was slightly crouching from the vines. Yui caught sight of a small note stuck on the soil. The ink has turned to gray but she could still read the message.

_Yui-chan,_

_Don't forget to water it everyday. It will bloom into something beautiful soon._

_Yours,_

_Shuuichi_

Guilt spread through her. She had not noticed he planted a flower to make her happy. When did he plant it? Without another word, she pulled out the weeds. Her fingers bled from the thorns but she continued clearing the flowerbed. In less than five minutes, it was clean and the flower stood alone, shaking, with the note Shuuichi left her. Tears fell from her eyes and it fell on the single bud. How can he manage to care for her so silently? She cried more after realizing she had pushed him away after the incident in the living room. _Don't ever touch me. You disgust me!_

Tears continuously fell on the flower, watering it. To her surprise, it slowly bloomed into a beautiful red rose. She gasped. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. And it almost died. She smiled. Being with Shuuichi was the best thing that happened to her. And maybe it was time to tell him so.

Yui took her phone and dialed his number. His mobile phone rang but he was not answering it. She was about to put it down when he answered, his voice frustrated. "Yui? I'll call you back—"

"Who's there? This is the restricted section—" a strict voice screamed on the other end.

"Yui, I'll call you back." He pressed the end button and Yui's eyes widened with disbelief. Restricted section? Was he in the National Library? Her skin prickled. What was he doing there? A realization struck her and she hastily ran inside her room to take a shower. No, he can't find the book. What if something happens to him?

In less than 10 minutes, Yui was prepared to go out. She took her backpack and ran toward the library. Seiryuu, she prayed, please don't let anything happen to Shuuichi. Sweat beaded her forehead but she continued running. She was about to cross the street when a loud honking sound appeared. Yui stood at the lane, fear gripped her as the truck came closer and closer. She closed her eyes, waiting for the collision.

Strong pair of arms carried her and when she opened her eyes, a familiar face smiled down on her. "Hey are you okay?"

"Yusuke?" the boy smiled and slowly put him down. Yui looked back on the road and was surprised she was already on the other side. "How did you do that?"

"It's complicated. Where's Kurama, I mean Shuuichi?" he asked and Yui blinked at him. He called him in that name again.

"Why do you keep calling him Kurama?" she asked and Yusuke scratched his head.

"Well, it's his other name. You know, friends tend to call each other by different names." Yui nodded. "Where are you headed?" He eyed her backpack and Yui's eyes widened.

"To the library. I think, Shuuichi—Kurama is in the library."

"What's wrong? The library sounds like a fairly safe place." Yui frowned and debated with herself whether to tell him or not. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"It's not a safe place. Can you help me? I need to get there in time. Something bad might happen to him." Yusuke looked at her intently and slowly nodded.

"How can I resist a beautiful girl who wanted to rescue her prince?" Yui blushed. "Seriously, do you know how to jump?" The blonde girl jumped and Yusuke burst out laughing. She went red all over. "Come on, just hold tight." He carried her again and Yui flushed.

"Wait, why—"

"We'll get there faster this way," he said. Before Yui could ask, he jumped off so high she ended up screaming. Yusuke laughed louder. "No wonder Kurama's so protective of you, you're normal."

"Of course I'm normal. How can you jump so high?" Yui held to him tighter. The city below her seemed to fade so fast as they move toward the library.

"Oh, I'm half demon." Yui's eyes widened.

"Is he…half-demon too?" Yusuke looked down and smiled.

"Do you promise to not judge him?" Yui nodded and he smiled. "I'm not so sure what Kurama is. I think he's a demon in a human's body." Yui gasped and Yusuke looked like he regretted telling her about it. "Don't tell him I told you. Oh no, I ruined your image of him. Kurama might whip me! Those thorns hurt."

Yui laughed and held him tighter. "I see. He never told me anything about himself."

"He's probably scared you won't take it so easily." Yusuke said, turning his attention on the way ahead. "You see, Yui, we're not normal. And you're a normal girl. He probably wanted to be as normal as you are. To be honest, I don't know him much too. He's always so secretive. All I can say is that Kurama always protects the people he loves. And I think he wants to protect you more than anyone." Yui's cheeks burned. The black-haired boy stopped and to Yui's surprise, they were standing on the roof of the library. "We're here. Where do we start looking?"

"He's at the restricted section."

"I see now. The librarian might catch him." Yusuke said, slightly bored. Yui slapped him in the arm.

"No." She sighed and looked intently at him. "Yusuke, I'm not normal too." And for the first time in three years, Yui told someone about Shin Jin Ten Chi Sho.

* * *

**_A/N:_**_Yui's about to find out Kurama's secret. How will she react? Will she still love him after the confession? Thanks for reading and do leave reviews!_


	11. Chapter Ten

_This is by far my most favorite fic. :)_

**_Disclaimer:_**_FY and YYH are not mine._

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**Chapter Ten**

By Slavedriver2008

* * *

Kurama sighed. He barely made it out of the library. And he didn't even find the damn book. Yui even knew he was in the restricted section. Researching something as confidential as a book was beginning to get taxing. There was only one place that can answer his question. Without another word, he disappeared and returned to Makai. He found the temple of Koenma and decided it would be a good idea if he talked to Botan first.

"Kurama, it's been a long time since you came back," Botan greeted him and he smiled.

"I have a question to ask." The blue-haired girl nodded with a wide smile on her lips. "Do you remember ferrying a dragon priestess three years ago?" The girl creased her eyebrows.

"Dragon priestess? Whose priestess?"

"Seiryuu." The girl's eyes widened.

"Mikos don't die. If they had successfully summoned the god, they coupled with that god. To humans, they call it, being devoured by a god." Kurama's eyes widened. Yui coupled with Seiryuu? How was that possible? Why was she still alive?

"What happens then?"

"I don't know. It's not something the underworld should now. It's a peculiar custom. I heard a priestess dies during the coupling but I'm not sure. Versions vary but priestesses always die after the coupling. The process is something only the gods know. Why are you so interested with the affairs of the heavens? And Seiryuu of all gods." Botan sat on her paddle and floated in the air.

"Why not?"

"He's the god of war. He's the most powerful god among the four. They say he's such a ruthless deity. I wouldn't want to be his priestess." The girl sighed and looked at him intently.

"Do you know anything about a book? Shin Jin Ten Chi Sho?" he asked and the girl shook her head.

"Mysterious play? I've heard of it but I'm not very sure what it does. According to rumors it's an alternate universe created by the guardian beasts. The records don't show much but they say a demon tried to dominate that world and now he's sealed away. You should ask Master Koenma."

"No, it's okay. It's not so important." He turned around. "I'm going back to the human world then." He jumped off the temple, leaving the blue-haired girl scratching her head. But instead of going back to the human world, he jumped to the other side of the temple.

"I thought you're never coming back?" Hiei asked and the redhead sighed. "Where are you going?"

"Where else do sealed demons go? In Mt Shi of course." Kurama said casually, jumping away from his dark-haired friend.

"That might not be a good idea." The man followed him and Kurama didn't care as long as he was not going against him.

"I don't know what's a good idea anymore. Botan said the underworld has no hold on the affairs of the heavens, but why did they agree to seal this demon here? If he's too powerful to be sealed away, why here?"

"Hmn. From what I heard, this demon tried to control the human world so Makai had to step in. If it involved only the heavens, Makai would not care."

"Why were we not sent to resolved it then?"

"You forget the battle of the Three Kings. Makai cannot step in with its own ranks under war. What happened to your reasoning, Kurama. You are out of your character all because of that girl."

"You said so yourself, find out her weakness. I'm merely finding out hers—"

"Hmn. If you say so," Hiei said, not convinced. "One wrong move and you'll be hunted down, don't forget that." The two reached Mt Shi, the highest mountain in Makai. The air around it smelled of evil but it was being suppressed by a thin reddish glow. The seal. "You want to do this?"

"You don't have to come," Kurama answered.

"Hmn. I like courting danger," was the man's only response. "It's been awhile since we had a little fun around here." The two jumped toward the top. The air was becoming shadier and the feel of evil was fleeting stronger in the air. Kurama knew that if a lower level demon climbs the mountain, they will be devoured by the evil of it and cause bedlams in this world. It was a dangerous place and if Botan knew they would come here, the spirit detectives will be alerted immediately.

The air was thick with the smell of blood on the top. Evil blood. Kurama's skin briefly prickled at the shrilly sensation running through his spine. The spirit was urging the demon inside him to come out. He transformed to a _youkai_ unintentionally and Kurama knew that he was dangerous force. If a demon like this could enter the god's universe and create havoc in the human world then Yui has reasons to be guilty, especially if she was the one who broke the seal. Kurama cursed, what was he thinking? Yui could never do such a thing. Yui was…

"Ah, I have guests…" a high-pitched cold voice reverberated in the air and the two demons stopped across a humongous earthen gate with a seal. "It's been a long time since someone visited me…Being here alone can be lonely."

"I came to ask questions."

The man laughed coarsely in the shadows. "A demon like you should not desire a human, especially the purest kind." Kurama's brows creased. "I know what you want, _youko_. You want the Seiryuu no miko. The east god would not be pleased to know that. You see he is a selfish deity, a very selfish deity. She was crying all the time…You should have seen her then, what a pitiful creature."

"Your words have no effect on me."

"No?" the shadows laughed. Long white fingers clutched the cage. "I can see through you. She's a lonely girl, too lonely even the gods cannot make her happy. I can give her to you, create a world for the two of you. You can make her happy then. She needs you…"

"What do you want?" Kurama asked, his hand clenched. Hiei shifted behind him and he knew that one wrong move and the man he called his friend will draw his sword against him.

"Break the seal. It won't be hard for a demon of your caliber."

--

"It's still here," Yui said, relieved Shuuichi had not found the book. It was hard to enter the restricted section through the windows and they had ended up entering the wrong rooms. Good thing the library was bare at this time of the day. It was summer so the students were busy taking their vacations. Only nerds spend time in the library at these times.

"We should check if it's really the book." Yusuke reached for the leather-bound book but Yui grabbed his hand, pulling it away from the shelf.

"No, I don't want to return to the book. Let's just leave it in peace."

"What if Kurama's inside?" Yusuke asked and she froze. "I will just open the first page and see if he's inside. If not, we'll look for him elsewhere." Yui shook her head.

"It's too dangerous. You might get stuck inside. I don't want to enter the book again." Yusuke sighed and put his hand down.

"Alright. It seemed like a bad idea anyway. Let's look for him somewhere else. Where does he often go?" Yui shook her head but before she could answer him screams filled the air outside the room. The two hurriedly opened the door and Yui's eyes widened when a throng of monsters filled the library and turned to them.

Upon seeing them, the monsters walked toward their direction. Yusuke flew to the nearest one and punched it but instead of hitting the monster's face, the spirit detective passed through the creature's burly body.

"What the—" Yusuke's eyes widened when the monsters walked toward the shocked blonde girl. "YUI, RUN AWAY!"

Yui ran toward her right but the monsters followed her, leaping at the speed of light to grab her. Yusuke continued to fight the monsters but nothing happened, he continued to pass through them as if he was a spirit. Yui screamed and Yusuke's eyes widened when the monsters pulled the girl. How can they touch her and he can't? What's happening? Why weren't the fighting? Were they merely shadows?

Annoyed, Yusuke jumped toward the monsters and pulled Yui out of grasp. They jumped out of the window, breaking the transparent glass into tiny shards. Before they fell on earth, Yusuke slowed down and carried the girl. She was trembling.

"What's happening? What are those?" she asked, her voice stuttering.

"I don't know, I can't hit them."

"Yusuke!" A tall man with orange hair ran toward them, followed by a blue-haired girl in a kimono sitting on a paddle. The girl floated toward them and looked at her intently. "What?! You already have a new girlfriend? YOU—I'll kill you for hurting Keiko!"

"Hey, she's not my girlfriend. I just saved her inside the library," Yusuke said, putting her down. "There are monsters inside but I can't hit them. What's happening, Botan?"

"I'm not very sure but the balance has been disrupted. There are movements we cannot define. Master Koenma thinks someone has either unsealed or is planning to release the demon, Tenkou. We need to hurry!"

"Tenkou?" Yusuke asked and Yui gasped. Tenkou was the demon who tricked Nakago. She knew little about him but his name sent shivers down her spine.

"He's a class S demon sealed away by the south god years back. His powers are shifting so we need to hurry." Botan looked worried and turned to her. "Who might you be? Yusuke, who is she?"

"Who's breaking the seal?" Yui asked, her mind drifting elsewhere. None of the Seiryuu seis were alive to set him free. Nakago was…Her eyes widened. Would Nakago set him free? But he said so himself that he was happy with his current life.

"According to reports, two demons were seen headed toward the mountain. We couldn't contact them. If only I knew this would happen, I shouldn't have answered his questions on Shin Jin Ten Chi Sho!" Botan said desperately. Yui's eyes widened. The book. Who would ask about the book? She gasped. Shuuichi.

Yusuke sighed. "I think I know who they are. Yui, how about we save your boyfriend?" Yui's cheeks flushed and the detective laughed.

"B-Boyfriend?" The tall man asked. "Who's your boyfriend? Whip boy or that short brat?" he asked, making Yui blush harder.

"Kuwabara, stop being snoopy. Let's head off to Makai now. Yui?"

"She can't come! It's too dangerous!" Botan remarked but Yui shook her head.

"Please allow me to come. I want to see his world." She looked at the girl intently. "I want…to see him…" Silence filled them. Her heart beat wildly on her chest. "He's doing this because of me and… I'll hit him in the head for being stupid!"

Yusuke laughed. "Come on, we won't get anything done if we stay here." He offered his hand and Yui took it. "By the way, this is Kuwabara and Botan. They're also Shuuichi's friends." Yusuke pulled her close. The two smiled at them and the girl opened a portal.

"Shuuichi? Who's Shuuichi?" Kuwabara asked but no one answered him. Everyone jumped into the portal and when Yui closed her eyes, they were standing on reddish ground. The surroundings have changed and the sky was dark with gray clouds. The wind lapped wildly and the air smelled of danger.

"Where's the mountain?"

"That one," Botan pointed to the tallest mountain that loomed over the entire place. Dark clouds swirled at the tip. "Tenkou's cage is at the top."

"How strong is he?" Yusuke asked again.

"He's not too strong because the seal's still there. But if Kurama decides to break it, no one knows how strong he is. Remember that he did manage to enter the universe created by the gods so he might be pretty strong or he's just sneaky." Botan frowned. "You should stay with me in the temple, Yui—"

"No, I want to go to the top. He's there."

"But it's too dangerous! One moment of weakness and you'll be under his mercy. You might become a liability!" Botan said and Yui shook her head.

"No, I've made up my mind. I won't stand in one place waiting. Even if it cost me my life, I'll go there. I want to be there for him." She smiled at the girl. "Because he's in this mess because of me."

"We better hurry," Yusuke said and before Botan could protest, he carried Yui and jumped away from them. Kuwabara followed, leaving behind the blue-haired girl. "What will you do once you see his original form?" Yusuke asked and Yui shook her head.

"I don't know. What does he look like?" Yui asked back. Yusuke looked every bit normal and he said he was half-demon. So maybe Shuuichi looked normal as well? Maybe there were only minor differences? If Yusuke was half-demon, it means affairs between humans were demons happen, though it seems rare. Would it matter?

"Are you really Kurama's girlfriend?" Kuwabara butted in and Yui blushed. All that she knows was that he was important for her. Love?

"No, we're good friends," she answered and Yusuke made a face.

"Why do I find that hard to believe?" the detective commented and Yui knew what he saw in them was definitely there. Love. She loved Shuuichi.

"Really, we're just good friends." Yui insisted, her face was getting warmer and warmer. It was too early to say they were in a relationship. They never reached the point where they have to formally tell each other what they feel. But would he feel the same thing for her? How does he find her? Does he love her more than a friend? _We both know it…_

Coldness filled Yui when they reached the foot of the mountain. The skies were making otherworldly sounds, as if on a rage. "Well, Kurama's not the type to break the rules for a friend. Wow, this mountain is really high." A thunder broke from the skies and the clouds seemed to coalesce more at the tip. "We should hurry," Yusuke said. "Stop asking questions, Kuwabara. Need to focus on this thing."

"Is it wrong to ask?" the tall man hit back. "I mean, I didn't know Kurama has good taste in girls. I thought he's gay!" The man smiled at her. "But this place is freaking me out. Let's get this over with so I can visit Yukina!"

Yusuke just nodded, feeling troubled. The air was shifting now and the smell of blood was getting stronger and stronger as they moved upward. There was also an unsettling feeling that lingered in the air. Evil. Yui had never felt a force as evil as this one. _Shuuichi, please be okay…_

--

"So what is it, _youko_?" the voice asked and Kurama's jaw clenched.

"Your offers are not what I seek," he answered coldly. He walked closer to the gates. The seal glimmered, as if sending a warning. It won't be long until Koenma sends the spirit detectives and he has to get the answers before they arrive. Even if it meant getting it by force. He had no idea how powerful this being was, but time was not on his side. Killing him was not an option, if he did so, he will take his place as the sealed. But if this creature pushed it, he has no choice.

"Ah, I see it clearly now. You want to know what happened to her three years ago," the voice said in the darkness. He laughed viciously. "What an easy wish, I've had harder ones. But I can show it you, show you the past she tried to run away from. Release me and you will see everything!"

"I don't accept conditions. I usually do it in my terms." Kurama stepped closer.

"You can't kill me. If you do, you will take my place. But you don't have to be a waste, you can be me and I can be you!" He laughed viciously again. "I made her suffer. I used her warriors like marionettes and she followed me without any idea what I am. I used her to gain a spot in the heavens. Don't you see how powerful she is? You can use her too—you can become a god!"

Shadows crept from the cages and before Kurama could move away from them, it hit him like blades. Crimson blood flowed from his pale skin to the damp darkened earth. He kneeled on the ground, not being able to control his body. Hiei moved from his spot and unsheathed his sword.

"Kurama! Jump away from the shadows!" Coherence left him and he closed his eyes. Someone was invading his thoughts, his body. Darkness filled him and he felt himself falling falling falling in an endless abyss.

"You're mine now. Your body will be mine!" A shrill voice reverberated in the air but he could not move. "I will be free!"

Coldness filled him and voices called him. He tried to recognize them. Hiei was calling him, and so was Yusuke and Kuwabara. They have arrived, the spirit detectives. How shameful, he had seen him fall. Then there was another voice. A sweet beautiful voice. But everything was leaving him. His parents. His brother. His friends. His classmates. His world was disappearing before his eyes.

_Shuuichi!_

Yui.

The youko opened his eyes and her face appeared before him. He reached out to her but she was slowly fading, like the memories he once had but were now leaving him. "Yui…don't leave me…" She smiled, warming him. But her image was slowly weakening. "I love you…" And then she faded like wisps of smoke into nothingness. He was in a blank haze.

He doesn't know her anymore.

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**_A/N:_**_Oh no, what will happen to Kurama once Tenkou takes over his body? Do leave reviews!_


	12. Chapter Eleven

_I'm done writing this story and I'm sorry to say it will be ending in two more chapters. I'm still sad this one's not getting much reviews but it's okay. I'm still writing a second part to this Yui-Kurama love story. I just had a hard time writing this one because I'm technically starting from scratch. Anyway, I hope the few people who read this fic liked it. :D_

**_Michi:_**_Yes! After such long development stage, they finally admitted loving each other! I really really love this fic. I think the story's just right. Anyway, the action's ending in this chapter. *sad* You see, I'm ending this fic in a few chapters so I can start the second more mature part for them. :) Hope you'll still read it. Btw, there will be mature stuff next chapter. I'm not sure if you're a fan but I hope you'll like it too! :)_

**_Disclaimer:_**_FY and YYH are not mine._

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**Chapter Eleven**

By Slavedriver2008

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"Shuuichi!" Yui called him countless times but he never shifted. She barely recognized Shuuichi's original form. He was far from the redhead she knew. His flowing white hair was covering a bloodied handsome face. His ears, that were like those of felines stood still like the rest of his pale muscular body. He was kneeling on the charcoal ground, clutching his heart. Blood flowed from his cuts and if his long white tail was not twitching from time to time, he would have looked like a statue.

Yusuke cursed beside her and pointed at the gates, a ball of light emanated from the end of his finger and the light became bigger and brighter. "Don't use Reigun, Yusuke! You will break the seal if you use it!" Kuwabara screamed and Yusuke cursed again.

"We can't go down there because his shadows occupied the space. What kind of creature is he? How can he use this much power if he is sealed?" Yusuke sat down and analyzed the movements below. "Your call is not reaching him, Yui."

"What do we do?" Yui asked and the demon called Hiei jumped beside them.

"We need to wake him up," he said in a cold flat voice. "He is having an internal battle. If Tenkou succeeds in taking over his body, it will be over."

"Kurama is strong, that shadow won't beat the_ youko_ so easily," Yusuke said confidently.

"Tenkou knew his weakness. The fact that Kurama had not moved means he is probably losing. The shadows can only reach a certain space and automatically runs after any creature above it. But by doing so, it loses control of the other parts of the ground. He only has three 'hands' and since one is already clutching Kurama, there are only two left. Any plans?" the smaller demon asked.

"Whoa! You're not being bossy today, eh!" Kuwabara teased. "Being with Muruko sure do changes you!" The dark-haired demon eyed him angrily and Kuwabara stepped back. "Hey, I'm just kidding _nii-chan_!" Hiei's eyed him more, moving toward him while strongly clutching his sword.

"Hey, stop fighting. The shadows are shying away from compressed light too. I have a plan," Yusuke said. "Tenkou might know Kurama's weakness but we know his strength. We'll distract him and everything's up to you, Yui."

"WHAT?" she asked. What are they supposed to do? She doesn't know how to fight unlike them. Botan was right, she was becoming a liability. Yusuke laughed cheekily.

"We'll distract him and once his shadow vacates a spot on the ground, use that free spot to run to Kurama, I mean Shuuichi. Once you reach him, wake him up," Yusuke explained slowly.

"How do I wake him up?" she asked, sweat rolling on her forehead. It was a risky and dangerous plan.

"Kiss him."

"WHAT?" Her eyes widened. She was supposed to kiss Kurama in front of everyone? It was humiliating! Yusuke laughed sheepishly.

"I don't know what else to do. It seemed like a logical way to wake him up. I think he's numb from the cold now and you need to do something to make him feel warm, to make him feel alive. It's just a kiss, ne." Yusuke pointed out and Yui flushed more. Kuwabara sniggered beside her.

"I should have brought a video camera for this," Kuwabara teased. "Okay, I'm ready. We'll make a way for the two of you. Run fast, Yui. Man, Kurama's one lucky guy."

"Okay, let's do this just like the old times." Yusuke gave the signal and she was surprised when he carried her and the jumped down on a vacant ground. The shadow's hands chased the other two and Yusuke's point finger lit up for another Reigun. But instead of letting it go, he used it to light the path they were treading. Yui ran behind him and they tried their best to step only on the spots the shadows have left. After running for awhile, they were finally a few meters away from Kurama's crouching form.

"Ahhh! It got me!" Kuwabara screamed and the shadows enveloped him. A flash of yellow light appeared inside the shadows and cut through it. Kuwabara came out, holding a yellow sword-like beam. He shied away from the hands. "There are more than two hands! There's another one Yusuke!"

"Damn. Yui, I'll release the Reigun and follow it toward Kurama. I'll distract the other shadows," Yusuke told her and he released the ball of light. The way parted for her and with heart on her throat, she ran toward Shuuichi's form. She can see his face clearly now. He was in pain.

"It's too late! He's mine now! You're too late Seiryuu no miko! You're always late in saving the people you love!" Tenkou laughed viciously. She tripped and went flying on the ground as Yusuke's Reigun slowly loses its power as it reaches Shuuichi. The shadows crept toward her, wrapping tiny tentacles on her legs, limiting her movements.

"Shuuichi!" She tried to push the shadows away but it sent her back on the ground. He was so close… She crawled toward him, the shadows cutting through her skin like blades. "Shuuichi!" Tears streaked her face and Kurama winced in pain. Blood flowed from his tightly closed lips.

"Yui, don't move. You'll get hurt if you continue to move! We're coming!" Yusuke screamed but she continued to crawl toward him.

The blonde reached her destination in a slow arduous manner. She was bleeding all over and her consciousness was fading from the deepness of her cuts. She cupped his face and kissed him. A blade-like shadow pierced her from behind, pushing itself deeper and deeper into her back. She tasted blood but instead of reeling away, Yui closed her eyes and relished the feel of his mouth on hers.

--

Kurama opened his eyes. He thought something shifted inside him, someone touched him but he was dreaming. There was no one. He was alone, falling in the darkness. Bluish light blinded him and the surface suddenly glimmered above. He was underwater. He thought he was just in the darkness, not somewhere else. Coldness filled him and the current continued to pull him down to the abyss. He closed his eyes. Everything was serene.

A sound shattered the silence and when he opened his eyes again, a figure swam toward him. A girl. It was a girl with deep blue eyes and long blonde hair. She was familiar yet he could not remember where he saw her. She swam toward him very fluidly, like a mermaid. She was beautiful.

Kurama's ears twitched. And for the first time since he woke up in the darkness, every muscle in his body started to throb, little at first and then becoming stronger and stronger as she came close. Warmth coursed through his body when the tip of her fingers touched his chest. She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked at him intently, warmly. Her name was at the tip of his tongue yet he could not remember what it was. She moved closer to him, heat filling his once cold body. The tips of their noses touched and she smiled. The act took his breath away.

Before she leaned down to meet his lips, he remembered her name. Yui. She was Yui. Kurama closed his eyes as their lips moved together. The darkness faded and when he opened his eyes, her pale face greeted his view. On her forehead was a glowing blue mark. Seiryuu. Yui was indeed the Seiryuu no miko.

"Yui…" She leaned to him and wrapped his arms around her slim waist. His head was buzzing but he remembered everything perfectly well. Falling into Tenkou's trap, erasing his memories, and Yui reaching for him. She leaned down on his shoulder, breathing laboriously, as if in pain. Warmth emanated from her forehead, creating a bluish shroud around them. "Why are you here?" he asked very softly.

"…I love you…" she whispered and his eyes widened. Was he still dreaming? Shock registered over his handsome face and after repeating the words over and over in his head, a smile slowly made its way on his lips. He pulled her closer. His fingers touched dampness and when he lifted his hand, crimson blood covered his open palm. He cursed.

"Kurama! Get out of there!" Yusuke screamed and he immediately carried her now unconscious form. The light on her forehead was diminishing and the shadows were inching closer. With the remaining strength left of him, he jumped off in the circle and joined the others.

Anger filled him once he saw her bleeding form. The mark of the east god was gone now but she continued to bleed on his arms. He called her but she didn't answer. Her heartbeat was faint, but it was there. Kurama doesn't know when it will last but he wished it will stay longer.

"I'll kill him," he uttered out of the battling emotions inside him.

"No. We should get back to the temple. We have to bring her to a healer. Her wounds are…too deep," Yusuke said. Kurama clutched her more. He called her again, softer, but she didn't answer. He cupped her face and called her again, hope fading slowly from him. He could barely hear her heartbeat now and her breathing was becoming slower and slower.

"Yui…hold on…" The beatings stopped and his eyes widened. Her hand fell limply on the broken ground. Yusuke closed his eyes. Kuwabara sniffed beside him. Hiei looked away. It was over. She was gone. A tear fell on his eye, rolling through his cheek toward her beautiful face. Another one fell and another. One by one it left him.

A vicious laughter rung in the air. "At last, the miko is dead! Revenge is mine!" Kurama slowly laid her down on the ground. He stood up, his mind clouded with anger. He eyed the seal and demon inside. "Yes, be angry! Hate me! You will be mine!"

Kurama lurched forward, his energy force rising double inside him. Kill. His blood rung with one thing. Kill. His mouth was thirsty for blood. Kill. The sealed demon continued to laugh viciously. His voice shrill in the dark mountain air. Kill. Kurama growled in excitement. His head throbbed. He will show no mercy. He will tatter his body limb after limb.

"Kurama stop!" Yusuke pulled him away but he pushed him just as easily. Yusuke changed forms and together with the others, they all jumped in to stop him, holding him down. He growled in protest. "Kurama stop! Control yourself!"

The clouds suddenly parted and a ray of light hit Yui's body. The light blinded them and when they looked again, Yui was standing up. A piercing blue light carved a single word on her forehead. She opened her eyes ever so slowly and in controlled steps, started to walk toward the cage.

"The east god favors his miko too much. You're breaking the rules of heaven and hell by stepping on Makai, Seiryuu-sama," Tenkou said viciously. "Enki will not be pleased to know you're here."

"Show yourself, demon," Yui said in her own voice but another otherworldly voice echoed hers. "I've had enough of your meddling. Suzaku is too kind to put you in such a powerless useless cage."

"And what will you do?" Tenkou leaned on the wooden bars of the cage. Yui smirked and stepped closer. The demons eyes widened.

"Because I am a selfish and ruthless god, I will give you a heavier punishment. For blinding my warriors you will forever journey in the darkness, walking toward the light of your freedom that you will never reach." Yui stepped closer, her voice was steady and powerful, the air shifted.

"Don't come any closer! Don't come any closer! Stop!" The demon shied away from the light, his shadows broke into crumbs as the girl moved closer.

"For touching my miko you will forever be lost in the world. No human or demon will see your cage, nor will they hear you. Even the shadows will abandon you." Yui reached the gate. Tenkou kept on screaming inside. "As long as the blood of my miko throbs in the veins of the generations after her, you will feel my wrath. The heavens are one with me and we have decided. You will forever be…" Yui touched the gate, her blood sank on the earthen lock. Seven images stood behind her, in a prayer. Shuuichi recognized one of them. Nakago. "…sealed…"

The first seal brightened in crimson and from Yui's hands, light emanated and covered the bars and became fingers of the dragon. It spread through the gate, covering the vast expanse. Tenkou's screams slowly faded and the gate disappeared in a blink of an eye. The blue light vanished and the clouds shifted, moving away from the tip of the mountain. The four men looked at her, still holding the fox down on the ground.

"Is she alive?" Yusuke asked. As if answering his question, Yui shook her head and looked around. She turned toward them.

"What happened? Why are you…" she giggled, covering her mouth, cheeks blushing. "You look like you're holding down a crazy dog."

"She is alive." Kuwabara blinked and before they could say more, Kurama pushed them all away and ran toward her. He immediately covered her mouth in a desperate kiss. Yui gasped and her face brightened. His arms wrapped around her tighter. "Whoa! They really are together!"

"I toooold you." Yusuke rubbed his hands together and laughed sheepishly. "Pay up now." Disappointed, Kuwabara took out his wallet and pulled out some money. "Heeheehee. You're such a loser, Kuwabara."

Yui's face was red when Kurama let go of her mouth. He transformed and Yui gasped when Shuuichi's old form appeared before her. He kissed her again, slower, softer. He smiled warmly when he looked down on her, his hand cupping her face. Yui pushed him away and punched him. Kurama's eyes widened. The three men blinked at them.

"Hah! They're not together! Give me back my money and pay up!" Shaking his head, Yusuke returned Kuwabara's money and cursed as he pulled out money from his pockets.

"Yui?"

"How can you do such an embarrassing thing? And in front of your friends?!" She bellowed and Kurama laughed lightly.

"I won't kiss you in public again then. Don't be mad…" He stroked her cheek and Yui blushed, looking down.

"How can I not be mad? What were you thinking, setting that demon free?!" She asked angrily and the three watched. Hiei rolled his eyes while the others smiled cheekily. "And you were the smartest in class…Ku-ra-ma." The redhead smiled wider. Warmth filled him when she uttered his name. He laughed and covered his mouth when she turned to him with a red face.

"Kurama, you should come with us," they all turned and found a group of spirit detectives. "You too, Yusuke. You two broke the rules."

--

Yui sighed and looked at the view of the underworld from the window of Koenma's temple. It looked more like an office building than a temple. She had been waiting for Kurama's brief audience with the god of the underworld. She leaned on her hand and looked at the landscape. The seasons meshed perfectly well in the underworld, the trees and plants were different, and the weather seemed erratic. She cannot imagine how Shuuichi—Kurama—could survive in such a cold dry place. But it does have its own beauty. The flowering plants were beautiful. She smiled.

"Found anything you like in my world?" Yui turned and her eyes met the most beautiful pair of emerald eyes she had ever laid eyes on. Her cheeks brightened when he smiled for her. His fingers brushed through the back of her hand and she looked down. Slowly, he intertwined their fingers on the window and moved closer to her. "I'm happy that you're alive. I…I was willing to take his place just to kill him…" He leaned down to plant a kiss on her forehead.

"What did Koenma-sama tell you?" she asked, not knowing what else to say. Their eyes met and he smiled at her.

"Well, he berated me for climbing the mountain and he berated Yusuke for bringing you here. Apparently, you're not supposed to step here. The heavens meddled because Yusuke brought you here first." Kurama smiled softly and Yui smiled back. "He extended my term as spirit detective for another 100 years." Kurama laughed at Yui's reaction. "And he asked me to do something else…"

"What?"

"Protect you." Yui blinked at him, speechless. "But even if he didn't say it, I will protect you, Yui-chan. I will protect you with my life."

"Why?" Yui asked, her voice breaking.

Kurama smiled wider and pulled her other hand. He slowly placed it above his wildly beating heart. Yui blushed further, meeting his gaze. "Because this thing said so." He softly pulled her and leaned down to kiss her lips.

Her breath caught when he deepened the kiss, exploring her mouth slowly. He pulled her closer and she wrapped her arms around his neck, opening her mouth for his exploration. He pulled her up, fingers clutching the shirt on her back from the intensity of the kiss. Yui let out a moan and clutched his hair as he moved deeper and deeper in her mouth. She moved her hand on his chest, she wanted to feel the rapid beating of his heart. The wild movements that reflected her own. His hand wrapped around hers and slowly, against his will, he moved away from the kiss.

"Yui…"

"Sshhhh…I already know…" she whispered and Kurama smiled at her. He leaned down to kiss her again. She didn't protest when he carried her and brought her back to their own world.

In the shadows, three creatures were watching the two silently. "I told you, they're together. Now, pay up loser." Yusuke said and Kuwabara helplessly handed him the money he was saving for his date with Yukina. Hiei smirked and disappeared without another word.

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**_A/N:_**_Finally! They're together! Do drop reviews when you can! Thanks!_


	13. Chapter Twelve

_Lemon time! Yes, there will be lemon in this chappy. It's not very descriptive so I'm not sure whether to place this fic in M or continue it being a T. Please help me decide!_

**_Disclaimer:_**_FY and YYH are not mine._

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**Chapter Twelve**

By Slavedriver2008

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Yui fell on the couch, Shuuichi falling on top, lips still intertwined in a breathless passionate manner. She barely recognized her own apartment, nor realized they have left Makai. Everything was a breeze. And with Shuuichi's mouth on hers, everything disappeared in a blur of bliss. He lapped their tongues together inside her mouth and a moan left her. Shuuichi let go of her mouth and moved slowly away from her, leaving her panting on the couch.

The redhead sat on the living room table, their knees bumping into each other. "Your living room looks different." He was also out of breath and was trying to stabilize his breathing. Kissing her was sublime. He never thought she had this much effect on him.

"You said it needs a little color. I…" Yui looked down, brushing her long locks that got splayed in various directions while they kissed. "You like it?" She looked up tentatively and blushed more when he nodded. He was back in his normal cool state and Yui didn't know how he managed to act so casual after the unbroken kiss they shared while going back from the underworld.

A thought returned to her and she looked up to him. "Why were you trying to unseal Tenkou?"

"I was not trying to break the seal…I just… well, I wanted to ask him questions," Shuuichi said, not taking his eyes off her.

"What questions?" Yui asked and he looked away.

"Nothing." She frowned and he sighed. "Well, I wanted to know what happened to you in the book."

"Why didn't you just ask me?"

"You wouldn't talk to me. Tetsuya wouldn't even tell me anything. I want to know what happened between you and Nakago—" he stopped speaking and covered his mouth. He had not intended to say those things out.

"You've been snooping around." Yui said softly and he looked down, refusing to meet her gaze. "He was one of my warriors and the only one I trusted. I loved him. I always thought it was just a childish crush but when he kissed me… I couldn't forget it. I don't know if he loved me back…" Shuuichi looked up to her, she was looking down. "All I know is that when he wraps his arms around me and whisper words in my ear, I'm safe and no one can hurt me." Tears fell from her eyes. "I've never kissed anyone after him because I don't want to forget his kiss. So after you kissed me that night at the living room, I can't remember what his lips felt like." She wiped her tears like a kid. "And I realized…I don't really love him. I just loved the thought of falling in love with him."

Shuuichi leaned forward and captured her mouth in a soft kiss. He tasted her tears but continued to kiss her anyway. She also felt it then, the same emotion that washed over him when they kissed. He moved away when she stopped crying, and cupped her face.

"I'm here for you now. I'll never go away." He kissed the tip of her nose and she blushed.

"Why didn't you tell me you're a demon?" Shuuichi's eyes widened and he leaned back, unsure how to answer the question.

"You might get afraid." He sighed and looked down. "I'm not normal and I'll never be normal. You'll never accept—love—a creature like Kurama. I'm—"

"Show me your true form then," Yui cut him and Shuuichi flushed.

"No. You've seen me once, that's enough." The blonde frowned. "I'll never show myself to you again."

"If you don't do it, I won't talk to you again." Shuuichi's eyes widened. "I don't want secrets anymore. The men I loved always hid things from me… and I want you to be different. Please don't degrade yourself because of me."

"Fine." Shuuichi closed his eyes and with a blink of an eye, became the demon fox. He refused to look her way and instead focused his attention on the newly-placed carpet.

"You look cute…" she said finally, giggling, making Kurama blush. He was caught with surprise when she reached out to stroke one of his ears. He closed his eyes as she moved her soft fingers on his furry ears. No one stroked his ears before and it actually felt nice… He purred and when he realized what he did, he grabbed her hand and pulled it down.

"Stop," he squeaked, face red. She giggled like a kid, as if she found a cute abandoned kitten in the park. "Yui…you're treating me like a pet. I don't want to be your pet—" he cut himself, he was about to say something abrupt again. His control was not very strong today. It was probably because of her. She was driving him insane.

"Go on…I want to hear it," she cooed softly, making his heart beat double time.

"I…I want to be your lover, Yui…" Redness spread over her face and before he can control himself, he leaned forward to kiss her. Her mouth was soft, warming his cold rough mouth. He moaned appreciatively when she licked his broken lips, biting into it and suckling it. He darted his tongue inside her mouth and his ears twitched when their tongues met, her soft velvety ones lapping against his roughness. The sensation was different when he kissed her as Shuuichi and when he kissed her as Kurama. But both kisses were driving him insane.

He let go of her mouth, panting loudly. "Yui…stop me…" he whispered. "I might do something outrageous again," he said, eyes betraying his words. He wanted her. And she, no doubt, wanted him back just as much.

"Shuuichi…Kurama…" she whispered, reasoning blurring in the overwhelming desire he lit in her. "…Touch me…" His cat-like eyes widened and without another word, he leaned down to taste her mouth again. Yui closed her eyes, relishing the taste he was leaving in her mouth. It was different, his mouth was different. Every sensation was different and it excited her. She wanted to feel his tongue on every part of her body. She shook the thought away, when had she become this sensual? When had she stopped seeing sex as something her abusers wanted to do to her? Maybe it was because of the way he kissed her. Even with desire, he still treated her with respect. He loved her.

The thoughts ended when Kurama inserted a claw-like hand inside her bra and cupped her hardened breast. She gasped in his mouth and his right hand laced around her left hand, clutching it as the sensation build to sensual heights between them. His long slender fingers teased the now protruding tip, sending bolts of electricity through her body. She moaned and he let go of her mouth, moving it along the trail of her jaw to her ear.

"Yui…I'm glad you're alive…I was willing to be sealed just to kill him…" He circled the skin around her nipple and she moaned, further burying herself in the couch. Half-lidded blue eyes saw their intertwined fingers and she focused on it as he kissed the side of her neck with his now warm moist mouth. Her heart was beating wildly inside her chest, and it was music to Kurama's ears. He was burning at the mere thought of hearing her labored breathing. And touching her, feeling her softness without any resistance took the little control he had.

"Kurama…" she called, moaned in his ear, as he caressed her breast and planted kisses on her neck, ear, jaw. He moved up to face her and the throbbing between his legs intensified when he saw her half-lidded burning face. He kissed her softly and moved the tips of their noses together. Desire was filling him, an emotion he never thought existed within him as a demon.

"I'm taking your shirt off…" he told her, not as a question. She swallowed hard and slowly nodded. He smiled. She was under his spell. No, it was the other way around.

He kissed her again and in quick motion, bit the collar of her shirt and pulled it open with his mouth. Yui gasped and arched back, closing her eyes. The force sent some buttons flying on the ground. He purred when he saw what was underneath her shirt. He took his hand off her left breast and moved it down her slim waist. Yui shivered as he moved his cold hand over her exposed skin. His touches were different from the men who tried of abuse her but her insides were curling at the thought. No, she shouldn't be thinking of them. Nervousness filled her, sweat beaded her forehead. Her heart beat loudly, not out of the desire but out of nervousness.

"Yui…look at me…" She closed her eyes. She doesn't want to see it, the same desire that were in the eyes of the men who tried to abuse her. "Yui…" he leaned closer but she moved her other hand to stop him.

"Stop…" she said, her voice breaking. "I can't do this." She was trembling and had totally avoided looking at his face.

"Look at me Yui…Do I look like them?" he asked, frustrated. She was moving away again and if he couldn't keep her from wandering back to her painful memories, then he was useless. His love was not the one she needed. Or was she afraid of the way he looked. The demon, he was the demon. He took her hand and placed it above his heart. "Yui…please…"

Slowly, she turned to him, opening her eyes. She smiled slowly. "Your skin has a little fur in them…" she said softy, the color returning to her face.

"Do I disgust you…?" he asked. He wanted to hear what she thinks of him, of his real self. Yui laughed lightly, moving her hand under his shirt and touching the skin on his chest. She touched his nipple and circled the skin with a finger, like the one he did with hers. Kurama mewled, the throbbing between his legs was getting harder and harder.

"I love you…" Yui whispered and he opened his eyes to meet her gaze. "I think…I…" she shook her head and looked up to him intently, fingers still playing with his protruding tip. "I love you… demon and all…"

Kurama smirked and leaned down to kiss her. He pulled her hand from his shirt and pinned both her hands on the back of the couch. He will do the servicing now, not the other way around. He wanted to hear her do all those little noises that stroke his masculinity. He wanted to hear the wild beating of her heart and smell the desire gushing from between her legs. He wanted her beyond the heightened senses he could grasp in his demon state.

He forcedly pulled the hooks of her bra and it broke. Yui made a sound and was about to protest when he quickly took it off her and inserted a hardened breast into his mouth. She moaned louder, clutching his hair. She arched back when he circled the nipple with his tongue, her nails digging into the skin on his shoulder.

"Ku-Kurama!" She moaned louder. He wrapped her legs on his waist and pushed her to the couch, letting her feel the effect she had on him. She gasped and before she could utter more, he cupped her free breast into his hand. She was soft in his mouth, just the way he had always imagined her. Yui was panting as he nipped, licked, sucked her breast. Every movement he did was taking her breath away, driving her to insanity. She never thought he could create such sensations. And she never thought she was capable of feeling it. She was finally able to breathe when he let go of her breast but her breath caught again when he began to trail down, kissing her smooth stomach. She shivered, the aching between her was getting more pronounced. He bit the lining of her skirt and was about to pull it off when she screamed. "Stop! Kurama, wait!"

Kurama's ears twitched and he looked up to her. He moved up and kissed her. "What now?" he whispered in her ear.

"W-What are-e you pp-planning to do?" she asked, stuttering. He smirked and kissed her again.

"I'll make you come in my mouth, that's all." Her eyes widened. He'll what? Was _that_ possible? She briefly imagined what his tongue would feel like but she shook the thought away. Will he really do _that_?

"Can we at least go to my room?" she asked, earning laughter from him.

"I like your new couch." He smirked again. "Don't worry, I won't let it get stained."

"But—"

"Yui, I want you now. If we go to your bed, I'll have to start all over again. Don't you see how desperate I am? You always make me wait for too long!" he lashed out. And before she could answer, he pulled off the remaining clothes on her, throwing it in a pile on the floor. He smirked and separated her legs, ears twitching. She covered her mouth, face in a shade of beet red. He was looking at her… and it was embarrassing! "You're beautiful like a rose…Yui…" He leaned down and she melted in a blanket of sensations as his mouth caressed the most sensitive part of her body.

--

"Achoo!" Yui rubbed her nose on the tissue and threw it at the trash bin. She had been feeling unwell after their _explorations_ at the living room. Kurama turned to him, wearing an apron.

"I think you're really getting a cold," he said softly, frowning. He immediately put out the stove and lifted the cover of the pot. When he turned to her, he placed down a hot piping bowl of soup on the table. "I think I went too rough. I'm sorry…" he said softly.

"We should have done it in my room, ne." Yui turned her attention on the _ramen_, the heat was making her feel better. She started to eat, she can't taste it well but it was better than nothing. "Do you always cook for your lovers?"

Kurama smiled, leaning closer. "You're the only lover I have and will have," he said, making her blush. "I like your couch, it limits your movements. Makes me in control," he said. "I never thought you're very submissive…"

"And I never thought you're so domineering," Yui sneered at him, blushing. He laughed.

"Does it still hurt?" he asked and Yui fixed her attention on the bowl. Why do they have to talk about what they did? It was embarrassing. "Yui?"

"Yeah…" she sneezed again. "I'm feeling more awful by the minute." She bled when he entered her and it hurt like hell. She cried as he thrust and he kept on groaning and muttering how tight she was. Her face flushed. He hit a spot inside her and it sent her jolts of wonderful sensations despite the pain. She couldn't describe it because the pain was overwhelming but he continued to hit that spot and it eventually made her…explode.

"What are you thinking?" he asked, smiling, as if reading her thoughts.

"Nothing… you did thrust too roughly…" she said and he laughed.

"I'm really sorry…it just…felt wonderful. And you… did you like it?" he asked and Yui flushed again. She looked down and nodded ever so slowly. Kurama laughed lightly, covering his mouth. "Can we do it again… when you're feeling well?" Her face was beet red but she still nodded. "Yui…can I sit beside you?"

"You sure don't ask too much permission when you're in your demon self," she noted and he laughed, pulling his chair to sit beside her.

"Which do you prefer, Yui-chan?" She bit on the chopstick and looked the other way, cheeks still aflame.

"Why do you ask such things?"

"I just want to know what you like." He touched the bandage on her shoulder. "I want to make it right next time. I won't bite you again and clutch your thighs too much." Yui sighed. He bit her shoulder in the throes of passion and his incisors made her skin bleed. It was only after they had came did she realize it hurt. His nails also caused some scratches on her skin. Making love with the demon in him was experiencing pleasure and pain at the same time.

"Bite is okay… as long as you're not a demon." He laughed again, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. She leaned to him, his arms was making her feel better. She looked up to him and he leaned down to kiss her mouth.

"I love you…" he whispered when they parted and Yui smiled. It was the first time she heard it. It sounded wonderful. It seemed she doesn't need medicine at all. He was enough to make her feel better. She cupped his mane and he leaned down to kiss her again, a kiss that went on and on.

A few minutes after, they were lying on the floor, their clothes thrown somewhere. Kurama parted her legs and very slowly entered her, his mouth groaning on her ear. The sensation was amazing, it was still painful but it was more pleasurable now. His length was no longer bringing her pain but a breathtaking wondrous sensation she never thought she would feel. He went deeper inside and she moaned, closing her eyes from the filling feeling.

"I swear Yui…after this, we'll do it in your room," he whispered in heavy breathing. He thrust inside her and she embraced him more. Each thrust was bringing her to new heights. He hit it again, that soft spot that brought jolts of pleasure to every part of her body. She closed her eyes to savor the sensation. "Everything is beautiful about you…Yui…"

"Kurama…Shuuichi… hit it again, please…" she begged and he did what she asked, hitting the spot continuously, harder. Pleasure whacked her body, louder moans left her as he moved faster and faster. He was groaning and thrusting wildly, slamming hard into her. He hit it again and it sent her flying over the edge. "Shuuichi!" she called him, screamed his name. Pleasure whacked her body and she tightened on his still thrusting member. White blurred her vision and he let the wave of pleasure take her away.

"Yui!" he called, exploding inside her. They moved together, wonderfully in sync with each other. The laid still for awhile, listening to each other's breathing. He moved on top of her, rubbing the tips of their noses. "I love you…" he whispered again. Yui smiled and he kissed her. "How are you feeling now?" he asked.

"Better… I stopped sneezing…" she said, fingering his beautiful face. His green eyes smiled back.

"Achoo!" he sneezed away from her and she laughed. "Yeah, it transferred to me…"

"Don't worry… I'll take care of you…" she leaned on her elbows and kissed him. She never thought this could happen to them. She never thought she'd make love to him, heck, she never thought she'd fall in love with him. It was wonderful how he meant nothing to him a few months ago and now, he was more important than her own life.

"What's so funny?" he asked, eyeing her. She shook her head and he kissed her again, deeper. In a few exchanges they were moving together again, filling the air with pants and calling of names. Love was a mysterious yet wonderful emotion. Yui thought before she lost all comprehension from the movement of their bodies. For years she didn't believe it existed and the next thing she knew, it was everywhere she looked. And now she believed.

"Shuuichi…" she whispered before everything became a blur. _Thank you…_

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**_A/N: _**_This is the end, I guess. There will be an epilogue, though. I really like this fic, very slow and realistic. Don't we all have inner demons we want to be controlled? This fic goes out to him. And to Michi-chan too, for bearing with me._


	14. Epilogue

_I'm ending this fic here. But there will be a second part because as I said, this is my favorite fanfic so far. I love Yui and Kurama together. Nothing outrageous here because I'm still establishing their relationship. There will be more drama, more flippy stuff, more mature scenes in the sequel. Unfortunately, I won't be putting that one up until next year. Need to at least finish some of my stories before the year ends. (I specifically need to sit down and write the last chapter of **Serendipity**.)_

**_Michi:_**_Yeah, I'm excited for the sequel too. :D If you look at it, almost all my fics last for two seasons. :) Thanks for reading and I'm glad you liked this fic. I'm thinking of putting up a Mistletoe Tale on Yui and Kurama but I can't decide how to go about it yet. Ahahahaha!_

_I've had fun writing this fic, too bad I didn't get much reviews. But this one's my 2009 favorite. **Serendipity** was my 2008 fave so I wish some of you'll get to read that one. It's more on Yui and Hotohori so the plot doesn't need to be established much. Thanks for reading!_

**_Disclaimer:_**_FY and YYH are not mine._

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**Epilogue**

By Slavedriver2008

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Kurama sat on the couch, trying his best to not get intimidated. Yui's father was sitting on the other end of the couch, reading a newspaper. The older man would sometimes look at him briefly and then turn his attention back on the paper. Kurama would smile his warmest but the man never returned it. He never thought Yui's father was such a stern man. He arranged his tie and coat. It was a good thing he decided to tie his hair in a ponytail, Yui's father doesn't seem too pleased that he looked beautiful.

He trailed some dark marks on the black couch. It wasn't so obvious unless one looked hard enough but even if he were blind, he knew where it was. It was a remembrance of the first time they made love in the same couch. Many more mind-blowing instances followed but it was the most memorable for him. Not only was it the first time they made love, it was also the first time he made love to her as a demon. The redhead smiled. He really loved that girl too much.

The door of Yui's room opened and she came out, wearing a white silken spaghetti strapped gown. Her hair was curled in big waves and a pearl headband was pulling everything in place. His breath caught. She was beautiful. She smiled at him and he stood up, heart beating faster at the sight of her. The older Hongou stood up as well and folded his newspaper. Her mother walked toward her father after helping Yui prepare inside the room.

"Be home at eight. You're both graduating tomorrow, don't forget," he said and Yui walked toward him and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"We'll be back early, Papa." She also planted a kiss on her mother's cheek and the woman smiled. "Thank you for helping me out, Mama."

"You're all grown up now, Yui…" the woman said. "One day, we'll be preparing for your wedding." Yui's father made a sound and her mother looked at Kurama, smiling. "Take care of my only child, Shuuichi-kun."

Kurama reached for her and she took his hand. Together, they walked out of the small apartment. He laced their hands together and he felt warm all over. She leaned on his shoulder slightly as they walked and silence filled them. Their high school days were fast ending and they will be graduating tomorrow. But before that, they were attending Miaka and Taka's wedding. She's the bridesmaid and he was invited too. Miaka squealed when she told him about the relationship.

"We're graduating tomorrow," Kurama whispered, thinking of the same thing.

"I wish I could stay longer," Yui answered back. She was slated to fly off to America to pursue her medical studies right after the graduation ceremonies. The business went off smoothly and as what was originally planned, Yui enrolled in a prestigious Ivy League school to finish her med courses. The thought of not being with Kurama longer pained her.

"Don't be sad… We'll see each other soon," he said, smiling. He was pursuing business courses in Sodai, his dream school. "We already talked about this. If you go sad now, I might change my mind and study with you in America."

Yui laughed lightly. He wanted to study with her in America but his family was pushing him back. He can't leave Kokoda and Shiori, although his stepfather was very willing to send him to Wharton. In the end, they both decided it would be best if they separate for awhile as they pursue their dream careers. To prepare us for the future, he said. She cried afterwards but she realized he has a point. They were, after all, too young to settle down like Miaka and Taka.

"I'll be back soon. And I'll get you a very nice present when I get back," she said. "We can leave the reception early. I want to spend more time with you, Kurama-chan."

Kurama laughed. "I was thinking of the same thing. Let's just finish the ceremony and run off somewhere." Before they entered the car, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her up to a kiss. "I've been dying to do that since you walked out of the room." He kissed her again, slowly. "Can't wait for the ceremony to end."

He started the engine and in a few minutes, they were standing at the church where Miaka and Taka will say their vows. The two got married earlier in a traditional Japanese ceremony and was sealing everything with a Western wedding. It was Miaka's dream to wear a white long gown. The march started a few minutes after and instead of sitting on the bench with the other bridesmaids, she took the seat beside Kurama at the back end of the church. He immediately laced their hands together and listened at the ceremony. The couple was looking at each other dreamily in the altar and Yui was happy for them.

"Do you, Sukunami Taka, take Yuuki Miaka to be your lawfully wedded wife, in richer and in poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?" the priest asked.

"I do," Kurama whispered in her ear and she blushed. She turned to him and he smiled. "I'll never let Hongou Yui go and will love her till the end of my days and in my next lifetime." Her heart beat wildly and she tried to smile.

"Do you, Yuuki Miaka, take Sukunami Taka to be your lawfully wedded wife, in richer and in poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?" the priest asked again.

"It's your turn," Kurama told her softly and she laughed lightly.

"I do," she whispered, looking at his green eyes intently. "I love you Minamino Shuuichi—Kurama."

She was about to say more when Kurama gently leaned down to kiss her, still strongly holding her hand. The kiss ended too soon and Yui frowned when they parted. The redhead laughed lightly and smiled at her beautiful girlfriend.

"Should we run off now?" he asked and she flushed, slowly nodding. They silently stood up, walking out of the church. He carried her as they walked down the stairs and she accidentally dropped the bouquet. He pulled her to a breathtaking kiss once they entered the car. It was still a little after four in the afternoon, they have more time before eight.

"Where are we going?"

"Father gave me a quaint little house by the hill 30-minutes from here as a graduation gift. It overlooks Tokyo bay and Shinjuku district. Should we spend our _honeymoon_ there?" he asked, heart beating wildly.

She nodded and happiness filled him. He couldn't wait to pull her into his arms and make love to her. The last before she leave and the last as boyfriends-girlfriends. Because once she comes back, Kurama will propose and marry her before she leaves again.

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**_A/N:_**_I hope you like this fic! Please do drop reviews! Thanks a lot!_


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